Five new international hotels we’d like to flee to

Short days, puffer-jacket exhaustion and general midwinter malaise have given us the increasing urge to escape. The rand may be something to reckon with but that doesn’t stop us from dreaming. When the Currency team wins the Lotto, we’re collectively going to decamp to one of the following new hotels for a full month. You read it here first.

Rome, Italy: Casa Monti

Rome doesn’t exactly need another beautiful hotel – but Casa Monti proves there’s always room for one more. Situated in a restored palazzo, it’s tucked into Monti, the city’s bohemian-meets-fashionable district known for vintage stores, wine bars and trattorias with queues worth joining.

Inside, expect eclectic furniture, glorious, printed textiles and wallpapers, and terracotta hues that all feel very Fellini. The rooftop terrace gives you Colosseum glimpses best enjoyed with Campari spritz in hand. Why we love it? It’s less “grand hotel” and more “Roman friend’s apartment” – if said friend happened to have impeccable taste, a genius chef and every top craftsman and artist on speed dial.

Athens, Greece: The Foundry Urban Luxury Suites

Athens has quietly become Europe’s coolest weekend city, and The Foundry is its best new excuse to visit. Set in a century‑old industrial building in Psirri – it was once a gritty font foundry and now a boutique hotel that’s all exposed brick, steel beams and lush greenery. The joint’s 12 cleverly designed apartments come with kitchenettes and vintage furnishings, but the real showstopper is upstairs.

That’s where you’ll find a rooftop garden that feels like a secret park where snacking on artisanal pizza for a late lunch turns into sundowners overlooking the Acropolis. Perfect for anyone who wants cultural overdose by day, chilled orange wine by night, and a stay that feels personal, not packaged.

Rajasthan, India: Raffles Jaipur

If you’re going to do Jaipur, do it like a maharaja. The newly opened Raffles Jaipur, a modern-day palace just outside the Pink City, is our kind of opulent. Think mirrored halls, sweeping courtyards and more hand‑painted frescoes and ceiling embellishments than your Instagram followers can handle.

Suites come with plunge pools, four‑poster beds and butlers who anticipate your every whim. Beyond the gates, Jaipur’s bazaars, forts and jewel‑box palaces await, but you might never leave the hotel’s spa or its rooftop bar, which overlooks the Aravalli Hills. It’s old‑world India reimagined for the modern traveller: cinematic and indulgent – plus did we mention the Wedgwood blue Writer’s Bar? It’s the dream.

Marrakech, Morocco: Maison Brummell

Marrakech does boutique hotels better than almost anywhere, yet Maison Brummell manages to feel fresh. Opened by the style‑savvy Brummell group, this nine‑room riad sits outside the medina and blends traditional Moroccan craft with clean-lined, minimalist interiors.

Expect a palm‑shaded pool and an in-house hammam you’ll want to book daily. The vibe is relaxed luxury – think yoga at sunrise, mint tea all afternoon, cocktails at dusk. We think the location right next to the Majorelle Gardens and YSL Museum is perfect. It’s an intimate and design‑driven choice, without being pretentious: the kind of place you reserve for two nights and end up staying a week.

Seychelles: Cheval Blanc

The ultra-ultra‑luxury Cheval Blanc collection (owned by LVMH) finally arrives in the Indian Ocean, and it’s OTT in the chicest way possible. Set on Mahé’s Intendance beach, the Cheval Blanc Seychelles is all muted tones and splashes of green, white sand and tropical modernism – Jean-Michel Gathy’s architecture meets discreet French glamour.

Villas are vast (think private pools, high-end art, butlers and outdoor bathrooms) and the spa is Guerlain‑powered. And of course, the dining options range from barefoot beach barbecues to fine French degustation. This is escapism turned up to 15: lush jungle meets turquoise water combined with service so seamless you’ll forget the rest of the world exists. Exactly what we’re aiming for, really.

This article was produced in partnership with Discovery.

^{Cover pic: The Writer’s Bar at Raffles Jaipur}