Open to the public from 20 November 2018, the latest InterContinental Hotel is built in a quarry 20 miles outside Shanghai in China. Baroque Travel takes a look at this unconventional establishment
It took a decade to built, but the InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland Hotel is finally open to the public. Built in a quarry, creating a most unique environment and setting, the hotel is 19 stories tall – and 17 levels are located underground! Two of the underground floors are actually submerged in an aquarium that is 33 feet deep. One of the hotel’s restaurants is located there.
Designers of this unique establishment include the brains behind Dubai’s famous landmark, the iconic Burj Al Arab, which gives an idea of the uniqueness and creativity involved in building this one-of-a-kind hotel. Even the roof of hotel has been created to completely blend in with nature.
Although Shanghai itself is a stunning city, guests at the new hotel won’t be enjoying city views. Instead, they will enjoy unique views of the Sheshan Mountain Range where the hotel is located, with exotic flora and fauna and unsurpassed panoramic vistas of the Shenkeng Quarry.
The hotel has been designed to offer a welcome escape from the bustle of city life, a retreat offering quiet luxury, world class cuisine, warm hospitality and superlative service. The hotel features 336 luxurious guest rooms and suites, with a waterfall visible from every terrace spilling down the quarry walls. Of course, that only applies to those rooms that are not located underwater!
The resort, which takes up 61,000 square meters in all, offers numerous adventure activities. There is a sports center where bungee jumping and rock climbing can be enjoyed to make use of the hotel’s location, a huge swimming pool and a water sports area offering numerous adrenalin-pumping activities. The hotel also offers a grand ballroom and four meeting rooms.
As its name implies, this unique hotel is literally a wonderland. The 10 years that it took to build the establishment was an eventful time, with many delays due to the uniqueness of the location and the building itself. Innovative engineering solutions were required and more than 5,000 people were involved in erecting the hotel, which has transformed an abandoned quarry into a modern paradise getaway.
Environmentally friendly in every aspect, the hotel has been designed to reduce impact on the environment. The hotel is planning to generate its own geothermal and solar energy to power everyday usage.