Cash or card at hostels in Yemen

Yemen is 100% cash-based when it comes to hotel. Hostels, guesthouses, even mid-level hotels will not accept Visa or Mastercard. Places in Sana’a like Arabia Felix or Dawood Hotel expect USD or rials in cash. ATMs don’t connect with international banks, so your cards are useless. The safest way is to carry USD in clean notes, exchange a portion into rials for food and taxis, and keep the rest aside for paying at your hostel. Don’t rely on finding workarounds-it’s all cash.

I visited Sana’a and stayed at Dawood Hotel. First thing they told me was: cash only. No cards, no machines, nothing. I had USD notes, which they accepted and then helped me change into rials for everyday spending. I didn’t even bother trying an ATM after locals told me foreign cards don’t work. Later, I stayed at a guesthouse in Aden, and it was exactly the same. Cash is king here-if you don’t have it, you won’t be able to pay for your room.

My stay in Sana’a was incredible. I used Arabia Felix Hotel as my base, and while it was cash-only, the staff were so helpful that it never felt like a hassle. I paid in USD and they sorted out change in rials for me. No one even offered a card option, but that’s normal here. I actually found it nice to have a straightforward system-cash for everything. Once you’ve got enough dollars on hand, your hostel experience in Yemen is smooth and easy.

In Yemen, hostels and guesthouses do not accept cards. Everything is handled in Yemeni rials or USD cash. Places in Sana’a like Arabia Felix Hotel or Dawood Hotel will ask you to pay in cash upon arrival. ATMs don’t work with international cards because the banking system is disconnected. So yes, you need to bring cash-preferably USD-and exchange it locally for rials. Cards simply won’t be accepted at hostels or guesthouses anywhere in the country.