Quick answer
Where can't you book a hotel with StaySats?
StaySats sells no hotel in Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Russia, Belarus, Syria, Crimea, Sevastopol or the Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine, because of international sanctions. Hotels in Spain are not available yet: Royal Decree 933/2021 requires a registration that we have not completed. Elsewhere you can pay hotels in crypto, but bookings for persons on a sanctions list are refused.
What we can't sell, in facts
| Sanctioned countries | Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Russia, Belarus, Syria |
|---|---|
| Sanctioned areas | Crimea, Sevastopol and the Russian-occupied areas of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson |
| Not available yet | Hotels in Spain, until our registration with SES.HOSPEDAJES is done |
| Spanish cities affected among our destinations | Barcelona, Madrid and Palma |
| Destinations on sale | 97 of the 100 destinations we cover |
| Guest screening | The lead guest's name is checked against sanctions lists (US, EU, UK) before booking |
| Withdrawal addresses | May be screened against sanctions lists before we send |
| Operator, bound by US sanctions | TravelGoat LLC (United States) |
Which places are not available, and why?
We can't sell hotels in Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Russia, Belarus, Syria, and Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine (Crimea, Sevastopol and parts of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions). Bookings for listed persons are refused.
| Destination | Status | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Russia, Belarus, Syria, Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine (Crimea, Sevastopol and parts of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions) | Not available (sanctions) | International sanctions: we sell no hotel in this destination. |
| Spain | Not available yet | Hotels in Spain are not available yet: Spanish law (Royal Decree 933/2021) requires booking intermediaries to report guest and payment details to the Ministry of the Interior within 24 hours, and our registration is not done. |
Why can't StaySats sell hotels in sanctioned countries?
Because sanctions law forbids it or makes it high-risk, so we block these places entirely. StaySats is operated by TravelGoat LLC, a United States company, so US sanctions apply to every booking. European Union rules also forbid tourism services in the occupied areas of Ukraine. Three examples:
- Cuba: the US State Department keeps a Cuba Prohibited Accommodations List. People subject to US law may not stay at, pay for or book these properties for others. 11 properties were added on July 14, 2025. We sell no hotel in Cuba at all.
- Crimea and the occupied areas: EU rules ban tourism services in Crimea and Sevastopol. The ban also covers the areas of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson not controlled by Ukraine.
- Iran, North Korea, Russia and Belarus: US, EU or UK sanctions cover travel services, carriers or payments there.
These places have no page, no search result and no price on StaySats.
Do you check the names of guests?
Yes. Before we book, we check the lead guest's name against public sanctions lists. We use those of the United States (OFAC), the European Union and the United Kingdom. If a name matches, we do not make the booking, and we review the case.
The check needs nothing from you: no document, no selfie. Withdrawal addresses may be screened in the same way before we send USDT or USDC.
Why are hotels in Spain not available yet?
Because Spanish law puts a reporting duty on us, and we have not completed it. Royal Decree 933/2021 of October 26, 2021 applies to anyone who provides or intermediates lodging, including online platforms that offer services in Spain:
- they must register with the Ministry of the Interior's system, SES.HOSPEDAJES, before they start;
- they must send the details of each booking, cancellation and arrival at once, and in any case within 24 hours;
- those details include payment data: the type of payment, the means of payment and its holder.
The register has been active since December 2, 2024. Our registration is not done, so we do not sell Spanish hotels yet. Barcelona, Madrid and Palma stay on the site for information, marked "Not available yet". When this changes, the date will be in the changelog.
Can I book a hotel in a country where paying in crypto is illegal?
Booking online and paying at the desk are two different transactions. Some countries ban or restrict paying for goods and services in crypto on their territory. With StaySats, you pay us in crypto online, and we pay the hotel in local currency. At the hotel you pay extras in local currency or by card, never in crypto.
These local rules apply where you are. If you live in one of the countries below, the rule may also cover paying us in crypto from there. Check the law of your country before you pay. This page is information, not legal advice.
Where paying in crypto on the spot is banned or restricted
| Country | Destinations in our data | Rule we found | Source checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indonesia | Bali, Jakarta | Crypto may be held as an asset but not used to pay (Law 7/2011 on Currency). Bali announced sanctions against tourists who pay in crypto in May 2023 | 2026-10-12 |
| Turkey | Istanbul, Antalya | Crypto may not be used to pay for goods or services: central bank ban in force since April 30, 2021 | 2026-10-12 |
| Thailand | Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Koh Samui | Restricted: paying shops or hotels in crypto is not allowed outside the TouristDigiPay sandbox, announced on August 18, 2025; its 2026 status was not found | 2026-10-12 |
| Mainland China | Shanghai | All crypto activity is banned | 2026-10-12 |
| Egypt, Morocco, Qatar | Cairo, Marrakech, Doha | Listed with an absolute ban on crypto in a November 2021 Library of Congress report, not updated since | 2026-10-12 |
Rules for Vietnam and India are not verified yet. City by city, with sources: crypto-friendly destinations.
Will this list change?
Yes, in both directions. Sanctions change when the United States, the European Union or the United Kingdom act, and we update the list when they do. Spain will open once our registration is done. Each change is dated in the changelog, and this page is updated the same day.
Where we can't sell: FAQ
Can I book a hotel in Russia or Belarus with crypto on StaySats?
No. Russia and Belarus are on our list of sanctioned places, with Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Crimea, Sevastopol and the Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine. They have no search results and no prices on StaySats. Bookings there are refused, whatever the coin.
When will hotels in Spain be available?
When our registration with Spain's guest register (SES.HOSPEDAJES) is done. We must then send booking and payment details within 24 hours, as Royal Decree 933/2021 requires. We give no date. The opening will be dated in the changelog.
Is it legal to pay StaySats in crypto for a hotel in Bali?
Indonesia bans paying in crypto on its territory, and Bali announced sanctions against tourists who do so. Booking online from abroad is a different transaction: you pay StaySats, and we pay the hotel in local currency. At the hotel, pay your extras in rupiah or by card. If you live in Indonesia, check local law before you pay.
Why do you check the lead guest's name?
Because US sanctions law forbids us to deal with persons on its lists, and we also check the EU and UK lists. The name is compared with these lists before the booking. A match stops the booking, and we review the case. No document is asked from you for this check.
Does a VPN let me book a blocked destination?
No. Hotels in sanctioned places are not in our search at all, wherever you connect from. The lead guest's name is also screened before every booking, so a booking for a listed person is refused.
Do other crypto travel sites block the same places?
Many publish a similar list. As of October 2026, per its terms, Travala lists Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Myanmar, Syria, Crimea, Venezuela and parts of Ukraine as prohibited. Each seller's list is in the crypto travel seller registry.
Sources (checked October 12, 2026) (10)
- Real Decreto 933/2021, de 26 de octubre — Boletín Oficial del Estado (2026-10-12)
- The State Department's Cuba Prohibited Accommodations List (update of July 14, 2025) — Federal Register (2026-10-12)
- Sanctions List Service — Office of Foreign Assets Control (US Treasury) (2026-10-12)
- Council Regulation (EU) 2022/263 (non-government-controlled areas of Ukraine) — Sanctions Monitoring Board (Malta) (2026-10-12)
- Information note to EU business on Crimea and Sevastopol — Financial Analytical Office (Czech Republic) (2026-10-12)
- Bali to crack down on foreign tourists using crypto as payment — Antara (2026-10-12)
- Turkey's central bank bans crypto payments — The Block (2026-10-12)
- Thailand crypto-to-baht payment pilot for foreign tourists — The Block (2026-10-12)
- Over 50 countries have placed bans on crypto: Library of Congress report — Decrypt (2026-10-12)
- Travala terms and conditions — Travala (2026-10-12)