Trying to plan ahead so any know if card payments are common at hostels in Dominican Republic or cash is king?
I’ve backpacked across the island, and hostels rarely ran my card successfully. In Puerto Plata, the hostel owner claimed their terminal was broken for “weeks.” ATMs are available but sometimes out of service, so don’t wait until late night to get cash. Banco Popular ATMs in city centers were the most reliable for me. If you’re planning ahead, treat cash as the standard for hostels and carry pesos before arriving at smaller towns.
Dominican Republic hostels tend to lean toward cash. I had one in Punta Cana swipe my Mastercard, but that was the exception. In Santo Domingo and Sosúa, both hostels requested cash. There are plenty of ATMs, especially BanReservas and Scotiabank, but fees and withdrawal limits can be annoying. My advice: bring enough cash for your hostel stays, and use cards for restaurants and supermarkets where they’re more accepted.
My experience in the Dominican Republic was mixed. In Santiago, I stayed at a hostel that did accept Visa, but they added a 4% surcharge. On the north coast in Cabarete, the hostel insisted on cash, and I had to find a Banco Popular ATM. If you don’t want to scramble last minute, definitely plan to pay cash. Cards can work in bigger cities, but don’t rely on them as your only option.
In Santo Domingo, my hostel near Zona Colonial only took cash despite advertising card acceptance online. Same story in Las Terrenas, where they pointed me to a BanReservas ATM down the street. Hostels in the Dominican Republic often prefer cash, and sometimes they’ll say their card machine is “offline.” If you’re planning ahead, bring pesos or USD. Cards are more common at hotels and resorts, but hostels are usually cash-first.