Cash or card at hostels in United States

I was at USA Hostels Hollywood this April and paid using my Australian Commonwealth Bank Mastercard debit card. They also accepted my Apple Pay linked to the same card. They specifically said they do not accept cash for bookings or check-in. One guy from Brazil who only had cash was told to go get a prepaid card nearby. So bring a card if you're planning to stay here. Even printing documents or buying snacks at reception was done using tap to pay. Very card friendly

I spent a week at The Drifter in New Orleans last month and they charged everything to my N26 debit card from Germany. Booking food at the café paying for my room and even buying event tickets through the hostel was all done with contactless card or phone. They made it clear during booking that they are a cashless property. A traveler from Argentina used his American Express and it went through fine. The only time anyone used cash was tipping a local band that performed at night

In May I stayed at HI Seattle at the American Hotel and they took my French BNP Paribas credit card for both payment and deposit. I had no US dollars on me the entire trip and never needed any. They had self-check-in kiosks and they only accepted Visa Mastercard and Amex. One traveler from South Korea used Samsung Pay and it worked just fine. Laundry machines and lockers inside the hostel all worked with card or mobile wallet so no coins or cash were required at all

I stayed at Freehand Miami in May and they accepted my Revolut Visa card from the UK without any problem. I paid for all five nights in advance through their website and then used the same card at check-in. They asked for a small incidental hold which was released after checkout. No cash was needed anywhere inside the hostel. The bar pool area and vending machines all took cards. Even other travelers from Germany and Australia were tapping their cards and phones without issues