underground 'cave' hotel to be built in abandoned quarry

"You know what this quarry needs, Karl? A five star hotel."

That's probably how the discussion went when developers in Shanghai decided to build a 5 star underground ‘cave.’ Work is due to start this month on the 19 storey hotel at an abandoned quarry in the Sheshan national resort area. Many of 370 rooms – will be underground.

Li Xuyang, a senior manager for Shimao Group who notably is not called 'Karl', but is heading the project, said: "Two stories will be built underwater, 17 will be within the cave and two more will be above ground”. The roof of the hotel will only be 15 m above the cave.

"The idea was to take advantage of this unique land form and to create a garden growing in the air. People could view hundred-meter high waterfall from their room window.

"The hotel is part of the larger project to build Shimao Shanghai Wonderland, a large-scale theme park. Reports say the hotel is expected to open in 2014 or 2015."

Looks a bit shabby just now, mind you...

Images: Rex