Bangkok Named Best City 2026 and Thailand Food Ranks Eighth
Bangkok has been named the world's best city for 2026, while Thailand ranks eighth globally for its cuisine. Six Thai hotels also appear among the top hotels in Southeast Asia. Officials celebrated the awards despite recent flooding in parts of the city.
Government deputy spokesperson announced good news for Thailand after Bangkok was voted the world's best city for 2026, scoring 97.68 points in the Condé Nast Traveller UK Readers’ Choice Awards. Thailand also ranked eighth globally for its cuisine, while six leading Thai hotels made the list of top hotels in Southeast Asia.
October 9, 2026 – Government deputy spokesperson Ploythale Laksaengchan said the achievement is a cause for celebration for Bangkok residents and all Thais, even though the city has faced flooding problems and some areas remain inundated. Nevertheless, Bangkok was voted “Best City in the World” for 2026, topping the list with a score of 97.68, followed by Paris with 97.14 and Istanbul with 96.67, according to the Condé Nast Traveller 2026 UK Readers’ Choice Awards, based on votes from 296,356 UK readers covering various travel categories such as destinations, hotels, airlines, spas and attractions.
Ploythale noted that Condé Nast Traveller is a leading global travel magazine and online media outlet, which highlighted that Bangkok has shown remarkable improvement compared to previous years, having not been in the top 20 in 2025 before rising to first place in 2026, reflecting the city’s peak popularity among travelers. She emphasized the city’s blend of architecture, history, Michelin‑starred cuisine, vibrant street food culture, and more.
Besides Bangkok, Thailand also received rankings in several other categories, underscoring the diversity of its tourism offerings. The country placed eighth in the Best Countries for Food category.
At the same time, six leading Thai hotels were recognized in the Best Hotels in Southeast Asia category: Mandarin Oriental Bangkok ranked first, Sukhothai Bangkok second, Rosewood Bangkok fourth, Capella Bangkok fifth, 137 Pillars Suites & Residences Bangkok eighth, and The Athinee Hotel Bangkok, a Luxury Collection Hotel, twelfth.
“These results from the Condé Nast Traveller 2026 UK Readers’ Choice Awards reflect Thailand’s appeal to British travelers and the global recognition of its destinations, products, and services across multiple dimensions,” Ploythale said. She added that the award reinforces the strength of Thailand’s tourism sector, and the government pledged continued support to tourism and related businesses to strengthen the country’s position as a key destination for visitors from the United Kingdom.
