Travelling soon - any advice if hostels accept cards in Sint Maarten or I have to give them cash
My advice for Sint Maarten: yes, hostels like SXM Hostel or Seaview Beach Hotel accept cards, and ATMs are widely available dispensing USD. But don’t rely on terminals working 24/7-machines can be down during busy weekends or power cuts. Carry small USD notes for minibuses, beach vendors, and as backup if your hostel’s machine fails. Overall, Sint Maarten is one of the easier islands for card use, but having cash tucked away keeps you stress-free.
I stayed at Seaview Beach Hotel in Philipsburg and paid by Visa-smooth. Later I switched to SXM Hostel in Simpson Bay, and while their machine worked, it went down one morning so I had to hand over cash until they fixed it. Not a big drama since ATMs were close by and gave USD. Overall, Sint Maarten is card-friendly, but I’d still keep about $100 in cash for backup. Beach bars and food shacks don’t always want to bother with cards.
I had zero issues with card payments in Sint Maarten. I stayed at SXM Hostel near Simpson Bay-paid with Mastercard straight away. Restaurants and bars nearby also all swiped cards, which made life super easy. I only used cash for the minibus into Philipsburg and for little market snacks. Honestly, it was one of the more hassle-free Caribbean islands for me in terms of payments. Carry a bit of cash for the casual stuff, but your card will cover the hostel no problem.
In Sint Maarten, most hostels and guesthouses around Philipsburg and Simpson Bay will accept Visa and Mastercard. I stayed at Seaview Beach Hotel and checked out SXM Hostel in Simpson Bay-both took my card at check-in. AmEx isn’t always guaranteed. ATMs are everywhere and dispense US dollars, which is the main currency on the Dutch side. You can carry some cash for food trucks, buses, or beach bars, but for hotel you’ll be fine paying by card. Just double-check with your hostel beforehand.