I've paid cash lots of times in hotels and never had a problem. If the ATM machine runs out of money, walk a block and try another machine. Or put your card into the same machine a second time for another withdrawal. Usually hotels that do not take credit cards are low end hotels. I can't imagine that you won't be able to get enough cash to pay the bill.

Are you sure the hotels want cash when you check in? I've never heard of this. Hotels expect you to pay when you leave.

Most of the hotels where we have stayed that required cash didn't expect payment until we checked out. I can't imagine paying more than the first night in advance.

Indeed, any hotel requiring specifically the full cost of the stay in cash upfront would set alarm bells going off loudly in my head.

Leaving that aside, individual ATM's usually only have a per transaction limit. The per day limit comes from your financial institution.

I can't imagine what kind of hotels don't do credit cards in the 21st century! As noted above you can do multiple transactions at an ATM... I have done as many as 3.

I have found hotels in Europe that prefer cash, and offer a discount if you settle your bill with cash. Never have they asked to be paid up front. I guess that hotels always ask for a credit card guarantee even if you plan to pay in cash.

Many hotels, shops etc., especially locally owned businesses, don't take credit cards because of the high fees they have to pay to the cc companies. Not accepting cc's does NOT indicate bad quality or bad service or being "low-key". This is a cash culture - get used to it...

ATMs solve your problem.

HI M,

The only time a hotel ever asked me to pay cash in advance they offered a 10% discount.

Marsh is not specific enough, if he wants some kind of definitive answer. He/she does not say whether the payment wanted is for 1 night or for more. And he does not say what size of hotel he is dealing with... I"m guessing small, and lower-budget. Typically small family-run hotels may want payment for that night -- in the old days they would not ask for payment, but just would hold your passport at the desk. That was not because of some government requirement, as they would say (they need to take down the number, but not KEEP the passport). They were holding your passport so you would not skip out before breakfast!

Reluctance to accept credit cards = 2 reasons. (1) For small hotels already charging low rates, the % they need to pay to the CC companies is an expense they want to avoid and (2) with cash, they can be "creative" as to the total annual revenue they report for tax purposes. This is not rocket science, just common sense.

Marsh, please come back and share more. I'm puzzled; if you say you have had your ATM withdrawal limit increased, that surely must mean to €750 per day or so -- and I feel fairly sure that no hotel charging €700 per day is asking for cash!! So explain.

Most hotels take credit cards. Maybe a small family run B&B will not; in which case I understand them wanting some cash when you check in.
I only know of one luxury hotel that doesn't take CC; the Hotel du Cap in Cap d'Antibes. That doesn't seem to deter their clients though.

I am back to explain a little! The place I have reserved in Amsterdam is a studio apartment. They have two other small places and the prices are low by Amsterdam standards! The person does want the entire amount paid on arrival. I am now thinking that I will have my local bank get enough Euros for that payment before I go.

I misread the statements on Booking.com about the cash payments. It says they are due "on payment day", which I now take to mean check-out day. It is just that I have used that web-site a lot and always was able to pay by credit card.

Last year in Spain I had a nightmare with my ATM cards (they were demagnitized by magnets in my purse!),so I am a little jittery about rounding up a lot of Euros on arrival in Amsterdam, the city I will fly into.

"I am finding that credit cards are not accepted at many hotels."

"The place I have reserved in Amsterdam is a studio apartment.

Totally 100% apples and oranges. Vacation rentals are an entirely different matter. Of course they want payment up front. In fact most want payment 6 - 8 weeks in advance. So if he only wants cash on arrival he is giving you a break over many owners.

Sorry - Europe is NOT a cash culture. We have used CCs almost everywhere without any trouble. I know some simple B&Bs - as well as some small family restaurants (and a few * ones) do want cash - naturally in the local currency. I have never heard of a hotel that requires payment for the whole stay in advance.

Naturally if you are going into a cafe for one drink - or getting a gelato - you would be expected to pay cash - but we have found almost everything from $25 on up can be paid for by CC.

Oh - and this is from the experience of 70+ trips to europe - from all areas and many different countries - big cities as well as small towns. I will admit - when I started traveling - 30 years ago - credit cards were less commonly accepted - but in the past 15 to 20 years they can be used most places.

nytraveler: " I know some simple B&Bs . . . I have never heard of a hotel that requires payment for the whole stay in advance"

The OP was talking about a holiday apartment, not a hotel. That changes thing entirely.

(And his other comment about booking.com indicates he mis-read the website, and is still not totally clear IMO)