InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland is a hotel like no other!
Move over Burj Al Arab Dubai and Marina Bay Sands Singapore! China’s Shanghai underwater quarry hotel is now open and attracting inquisitive visitors from all over the globe.
After 12 years of innovative construction, Shimao InterContinental Wonderland (also known as the Songjiang Quarry Hotel) the doors were finally opened on 20 November 2018. At a cost of US$555, this earthscraper hotel is getting plenty of attention. The 337-room luxury hotel is located approximately 30km / 20 miles south-west from the Shanghai skyline.
China’s New World-Class Luxury Hotel
The architectural wonderland has 19 floors in total including 2 floors fully submerged; all floors are built into the disused Shenkeng quarry walls. 16 floors have balcony views of the purpose-built waterfalls that somersaults down the quarry face. Below ground – a 10-metre-deep aquarium, guest rooms, pool, restaurant, and water sports centre – creates an unbelievable aquatic experience.
Visitors and guests are making themselves at home relaxing on the ‘green’ rooftop space that peers above the quarry pit and blends in so beautifully with the surrounding landscape. The quarry walls attract the more adventurous guests with rock climbing and bungee jumping activities.
B1M | Construction Video Channel
Building the InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland Video – Extending 90 metres down into an abandoned quarry, the InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland is a structure like no other. Video credits B1M
Top Construction Achievements of the 21st Century
Thousands of architects, engineers, designers and developers collaborated on the project to ensure the construction of the world’s first 5-star quarry hotel would not impact on the surrounding environment. The design of the flagship hotel was shortlisted at the 2009 World Architecture Festival.
The abandoned quarry and its unique topography allowed for the opportunity to construct a world-class hotel without damaging the existing landscape. InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland Hotel is also regarded as one of the most eco-friendly places to stay in China.
Marriott Shanghai Edition | Luxury Boutique Hotel
Another new hotel popped up on the Shanghai Skyline at the end of 2018. The Marriott Shanghai Edition, a luxury boutique hotel, located just 5 minutes from The Bund, the city’s popular waterfront area. The 145-room hotel has two separate towers and features unobstructed views of People’s Square and the Pudong skyline from many of the guestrooms and suites.
China Travel Guide | China Tours
China is a wonderful destination with many interesting side-trips such as the Great Wall of China and Terracotta Warriors tours. There are inexpensive China flights and China travel deals available through companies like Trip-a-Deal for under $2,000AUD. For more great China highlights in and around Shanghai check out my China Blog 12 Days In China and be inspired to add China to your bucket list. For the best travel reviews head to TripAdvisor and for the best China Day Tours check out Viator.
Gadget Pack Ideas
Charge All Your Electronic Gadgets With Ease
There is nothing worse than having your electronic gadgets run out of power when there’s no power source at hand. A compact Energizer Powerbank delivers plenty of on-the-go power, with multiple USB charging ports delivering power to mobiles, tables or/and portable hand-held gaming devices. Looking for time saving ways to charge all your electronic devices at one time? Don’t leave home without one of these great high speed universal travel adaptors.
WD MyPassport Wireless Pro external hard-drive is an excellent storage solution when your tablet or smartphone is crammed full of photos, videos and apps, and you can’t add more storage! The WD MyPassport device allows you to free up your devices without losing any of your precious memories.
- Wireless for fast data transfers
SD 3.0 card reader for fast media offloads
All-day battery (up to 10 hours)
USB power bank to charge mobile devices
USB 3.0 for super-fast transfers – USB 2.0 to transfer media from an external storage device
Need more tech packing space?
Saddleback leather Co’s full grain leather Backpack book bag has dedicated pockets for your laptop or table, compartments for cables and other small items. Backpack includes a 100 Year warranty.
Looking for other Asia Holiday Ideas?
Discover the modern cities of Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo to the serene countryside of Takayama. My 14 Days in Japan itinerary is suitable for first-time travellers to Japan. See how I sat back and relaxed on some of the world’s fastest trains using Japan’s Railpass. I love everything about Japan; read about the wonderful places I visited on my 14 Days in Japan blog.
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I am the Progressive Traveller. I've been travelling the world extensively since 2002. My website is full of travel stories, tips, recommendations, resources, offers for you to use and enjoy. Follow my journey on social media and travel the world with me. Happy days.
