I found out this tip from my friend Jay - another SlowTrav-er. If you contact your hotel, ask them if they will offer you a discount for paying in cash. I am getting a 10% discount at Doria Park Hotel in Lerici for paying in cash. So for three nights, it's a little over 30Euros so that will be our cappucino and gelato money for perhaps a day or so?
I know if you're staying at a more expensive hotel and for a longer period of time, getting all that cash out will be unwieldy but just thought I'd share this tidbit with you all.