HotelChatter || What Kind of Town Doesn't Take Credit Cards?

A missed train had me changing my schedule from Greece to Turkey. Unfortunately, I was out of cash and didn't have the ATM pin code for my credit card. I was planning on doing a Western Union advance when I got to a tourist stop in Greece.

Train cabin chatter led me to a small town in Bulgaria instead of Istanbul. For the independent traveler, these things happen.

But what I wasn't expecting, was to get to Veliko Turnovo with a local guide and discover that there was only one hotel in town that took credit cards. And not surprisingly Western Union was closed for the Easter weekend.

A taxi driver took us to three different hotels, and we realized that the most expensive hotel in town would happily take my credit card. I was resolved to paying over budget for my mistake. However, my guide wouldn't hear anything of it. She took me home with her instead of allowing me to stay at this 75 Euro/night mediocre hotel. Especially since that was close to a month's salary for most locals.

The point of this story isn't to steer you away from Veliko Turnovo. Rather, I want to prepare you for the possibility that in our modern world, a popular tourist getaway with 24hr internet access, can still have one leg in the old world.

The Grand Hotel will accept your credit cards. But the pictures in the local tourist book don't measure up as being worth it.

The locals prefer their guests to stay at the charming Vinpalace Hotel in Arbanassi just outside of town.

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