US $490 million hotel under construction in abandoned Chinese quarry

SONGJIANG - Taking ambitious hotel projects to the next level, British architectural firm Atkins has finalised its designs for the US $490 million Shimao Wonderland InterContinental cave hotel.

Now under construction in an abandoned, flooded quarry at the base of China’s Tianmenshan Mountain in the Songjiang Distict, the hotel promises to deliver 380 rooms over 19 stories, with two underwater floors and 17 rooms integrated into the quarry’s cave.

The remainder of the hotel will be built on the surrounding mountainous landscape, allowing guests to enjoy everything from rock climbing to bungee jumping on nearby cliffs.

Upon completion, the Shimao Wonderland InterContinental will offer watersports on the quarry’s lake and host guests in its underwater restaurant and aquarium.  There will also be a spa complex with swimming pool available on the lowest level.

Atkins’ design for the Shimao Wonderland InterContinental took fist prize in the Future Commercial Projects category at the 2009 International Design Competition.

The structure aims to blend seamlessly with the environment, using an eco-friendly green roof planted with a variety of trees and integrating photovoltaic solar panels.

“The roof of the hotel will only be 15m above the cave. The idea was to take advantage of this unique landform and to create a garden growing in the air,” Li Xuyang, a senior manager for Shimao Group told Shortlist.

When it opens in 2016, room rates are expected to start from US $300 per night.

Once completed, the hotel will form part of the wider Shimao Shanghai Wonderland project, which will convert the area into a large-scale theme park.

Sourced: TravelDailyNews