Trying to plan ahead so any know if card payments are common at hostels in Qatar or cash is king?
Qatar is extremely card-friendly. Whether you’re at a backpacker hostel or a mid-range hotel, card payments are the standard. I never had anyone ask me for cash. Carrying a bit of cash is good for taxis or small street food, but hostels will take Visa or Mastercard without blinking.
My time in Qatar was smooth - hostel payments were all on card, no need to scramble for ATMs. Even cheaper stays had terminals. If you’re worried about carrying cash, you can relax here.
Hostels are few in Qatar compared to hotels, but the ones I checked out (around Al Sadd and Corniche areas) all had working card machines. Honestly I didn’t use riyal cash the entire trip except in tiny corner shops. At accommodation, card is the norm.
Doha is super modern, so even the budget hostels are fine with card. I stayed near Souq Waqif and the place processed my Visa at check-in with no issues. Qatar is one of the easiest countries for cashless travel in the region.