Want to avoid last-minute ATM runs. Do most hostels in Bulgaria take card payments at check-in
Bulgaria is mixed - in cities like Sofia and Plovdiv, card is often fine, but in Bansko, Burgas, or rural areas, hostels expect leva at check-in. Some places offer a discount if you pay cash. I used an OTP Bank ATM in Sofia without issues, but my Revolut card was rejected at a smaller ATM in Veliko Tarnovo. So yeah, if you’re moving around Bulgaria, don’t expect uniformity. Having cash handy means no awkward moments at check-in when machines fail.
I traveled through Bulgaria last summer and carried both cash and a card. Sofia’s hostels generally accepted card, but when I went to Rila Monastery and stayed nearby, they wanted leva only. Even in Plovdiv’s Old Town, I was asked for cash at one family-run hostel. ATMs are everywhere, but sometimes they run out of money during busy weekends. If you want to avoid last-minute stress, have cash for at least two nights upfront. Don’t rely entirely on your card.
When I booked a place near Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia, it advertised card acceptance, but the POS machine “was broken” when I arrived. Classic excuse. Ended up walking down Vitosha Boulevard to grab cash from a DSK ATM. In Plovdiv, though, the hostel had no issues taking my Visa. Rule of thumb: in the big cities, you can usually pay by card, but always check reviews before booking. Smaller mountain towns will expect leva in cash at check-in.
In Sofia, most of the larger hostels like Hostel Mostel or Canape Connection happily take card at check-in, but I had one experience in Veliko Tarnovo where the owner flatly said “cash only.” It’s not unusual for hostels in smaller towns to dodge card fees by pushing cash. There are plenty of ATMs from UniCredit Bulbank and DSK around, so withdrawing leva isn’t hard. My advice would be: don’t assume just because you’re in the EU it’ll be 100% card-friendly. Bulgaria still leans cash outside the capital.