After a decade in the making, the mostly subterranean Shimao Wonderland InterContinental finally opened

Located near the Sheshan Mountain Range, about an hour’s drive outside Shanghai, the hotel is meant to blend in with the stunning natural surroundings. Of its’ eighteen floors, two floors are above ground, another two floors are underwater, inside the 10m deep aquarium.

Finally, the rest are facing impressive panoramic views of the quarry, cliffs and waterfalls.

The architectural plan was designed to reduce the impact on the environment by keeping the majority of construction within the disused pit.

Additionally, this eco-friendly development of the Shimao Wonderland features a green rooftop that disappears into the surrounding landscape and self generates geothermal and solar energies to power everyday functions.

The design centrepiece is a transparent structure which cuts the middle of the building to convincingly replicate a cascading waterfall.

Adventure lovers take note, the sport and leisure-oriented resort makes the most of its location. Also featuring an extreme sports center for activities like rock climbing and bungee jumping. A glass-bottomed bridge and theme park are also expected to be added to the resort in the future.