We’re sad to see our fair city on a “world’s unfriendliest cities” list, but we’re glad that at least it didn’t make the top 10.
The readers of Travel + Leisure decided that Beijing wasn’t their happy place: “Voters seem to agree that this city had too many people to manage, regardless of the friendliness levels of its populace. Escape the crowds (and, yes, the pollution) inside one of the city’s new hotels, which continue to practice the region’s famous, anticipatory hospitality – even if locals don’t. Try the new Rosewood Beijing, fronted with cast-bronze dragon sculptures, and featuring cloisonné in the 282 loft-style guest rooms.”
If that’s not a sponsored or content marketing plug for Rosewood Beijing, it’s certainly the strangest we’ve ever seen.
That criticism aside, we’re in good company. Number 12 on the unfriendly list is Miami, Florida; Number 10 is Cannes, France. Moscow was considered to be least friendly. In 2014, Travel + Leisure competitor Conde Nast Traveler readers also named Beijing to its list of unfriendly cities.
Galway, Ireland, was voted the world’s friendliest city. Two other Irish cities/places, Dublin and County Cork, also appeared in the top five, at number three and four, respectively.
Here’s the Top 10 Most Unfriendly:
1. Moscow, Russia
2. Atlantic City, New Jersey
3. St. Petersburg, Russia
4. Marseille, France
5. Los Angeles, California
6. New York, New York
7. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
8. Baltimore, Maryland
9. Las Vegas, Nevada
10. Cannes, France
Now for their rankings of the Friendliest:
1. Galway, Ireland
2. Charleston, South Carolina
3. Dublin, Ireland
4. Cork, Ireland
5. Siem Reap, Cambodia
6. Auckland, New Zealand
7. Melbourne, Australia
8. Sydney, Australia
9. Edinburgh, Scotland
10. Savannah, Georgia
More stories by this author here.
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @greatwriteshark
Weibo: @SinoScuba潜水
Photo: Shi Zhao/Wikipedia