US$288 million Shanghai hotel is the world’s deepest – just two of its 18 floors are aboveground
- InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland Hotel rises 88 metres from an abandoned quarry on outskirts of city
- Its 336 guest rooms cost from 3,400 yuan (US$490) a night
Two years after claiming the title of “home to the world’s second-tallest building”, Shanghai has added to its list of architectural achievements with the launch of the world’s deepest hotel.
Rising 88 metres (290 feet) from the floor of an abandoned quarry, the 18-storey InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland Hotel in the city’s Songjiang district has been in development for 12 years and cost 2 billion yuan (US$287.9 million) to complete.
Of its 18 floors, just two are aboveground while its two lowest are completely submerged by a lake that occupies the remainder of the vast quarry pit.
Xu Shitan, deputy chairman of the project’s developer Shimao Group, was among the speakers at the building’s official launch on Thursday.
“It used to be an abandoned quarry, and now we have turned it into a treasure,” he said.
Located in Sheshan, about 30km (19 miles) from Hongqiao International Airport, the new hotel has 336 guest rooms and suites priced from 3,400 yuan to 3,800 yuan per night. They will be available to book from Tuesday, according to IHG’s website, which manages the property.