Trying to plan ahead so any know if card payments are common at hostels in Guernsey or cash is king?
I booked a hostel online in St Peter Port and when I arrived, they had no issue taking my Visa. Another guesthouse I stayed in also had a card terminal. I hardly used cash in Guernsey - just coins for bus rides and small shops. There are plenty of ATMs in town, but for hostels specifically, expect to pay with card. Carry a bit of cash just in case, but overall you won’t be running to ATMs here.
Guernsey is card-friendly overall, especially around St Peter Port. My hostel processed debit cards without fuss, and even cafes and buses were fine with contactless. The only place I saw cash-only signs was a small countryside pub. Barclays and HSBC ATMs are easy to find, but for hostels specifically, card is almost always accepted. You’ll probably only use cash for quirky rural places or markets, not at check-in.
When I visited Guernsey, I was surprised how modern the payments were - my Revolut Mastercard worked everywhere, including my budget hostel. But I did chat with some other backpackers who had issues at a tiny guesthouse outside St Martin. They ended up withdrawing from a NatWest ATM near the harbour. If you’re trying to plan ahead, I’d keep some pounds in your wallet, but honestly card is widely accepted here and is usually the preferred option.
In Guernsey, most hostels and guesthouses I stayed at were fine with card. My hostel in St Peter Port took my Visa instantly, and even smaller guesthouses in the countryside were set up with card readers. That said, one B&B asked for cash “just to make it easier.” HSBC and Lloyds ATMs are all over the main town, so getting sterling isn’t hard. I’d say you can expect card acceptance, but carry some pounds for smaller, family-run stays where they might prefer it.