Now Open: The Quarry Hotel That Took 11 Years to Complete!

As of today, the InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland has finally opened in Shanghai! Known as the quarry hotel, this highly anticipated project is now complete, and we’ve got some pretty incredible high-res images to share!

After 12 years of hard work, spanning 88m in depth with two basement floors and 16 floors above ground level, the hotel has a beautiful waterfall view and rooftop garden. Each guest staying here has an observatory deck, and there are underwater suites and restaurants as well.

A wonderland with many surprises, it’s a fun, beautiful and lovely place to stay, as well as one of our top hotel highlights of the year!

Transforming an Ugly Duckling to a Beautiful Swan

The hotel is located within a quarry in the Sheshan mountainous district, which was previously a stone mining site that was later abandoned.

Looking at the statistics, the area spans 36,800sqm - the size of five football fields; with an 80-degree slope, 88m in depth, 1000m length, 280m long from east to west and 220m wide from north to south.

In 2006, Shimao Group decided to leverage the beauty of the quarry and turn it into a 5-star hotel. And to turn the dream into a reality, they engaged the British designer, Martin Jochman.

Jochman’s approach was to create a hotel that appears to look like a natural extension from the beauty around.

Living up to expectations, the quarry hotel is visually stunning and challenges the norms of what a hotel should look like.

Surprised by the Beauty the Hotel has to Offer

There are many art installations around, and right at the entrance is an iconic sculpture that's been shaped to look like a dragon offering a majestic entrance for guests.

The hall is spacious and, as guests check in, they will be able to see the beauty of the quarry and water, which complement the music playing in the foreground.

On a day with good weather, take a stroll out onto the terrace and enjoy a cup of tea while gazing out towards the spectacular view. While the hotel has 16 floors above ground, there are also two floors below that you won't be able to see!

From the center, take in the breathtaking surrounding beauty. In the future, the hotel plans to organize rock climbing and kayaking sessions for sports enthusiasts.

Right at the bottom is a lake, which preserves the original look and feel of the stone mining site. After importing and planting fern pine from Japan, the trees have sprouted, creating a green and natural sight around the lake.

The four lifts in the hotel are made of glass and allow guests to appreciate the sights around when moving inside the hotel.

There is also a glass floor, which is definitely not for the faint-hearted!

Every night, there will be a spectacular water show for the guests!

But that's not all; another great place to appreciate the hotel’s sights is the indoor swimming pool, which has floor-to-ceiling windows that allow excellent views of the waterfall beyond.

A Memorable Hotel Experience Unlike Any Other

There are a total of 336 rooms in the InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland, with interior designs inspired by cliffs, waterfalls, and hills. The guest rooms come in a couple of themes - turquoise theme and red industrial theme for twin suites - and each of them come with their own observatory deck. Guests who are staying right at the bottom of the quarry will have their own private housekeeping staff to tend to their needs.

The highly anticipated underwater rooms are now unveiled too! The top floor is on the same level as the water's surface, and has an outdoor terrace and bedroom with a designated children’s play area.

The bathroom is equipped with a Dyson hairdryer (available in all rooms) and Salvatore Ferragamo and Tuscan Soul pieces.

The rest of the living area is underground, and guests can expect to get up-close with the fish that are swimming around.

Underwater Rooms Coupled with an Underwater Restaurant

Known as the Yuhuo Specialty Restaurant, we were treated to the sight of an underwater world even before dinner started. On top of that, the restaurant serves a menu of seasonal seafood, and it’s safe to say this will be an up and coming restaurant to look out for!

The InterContinental Chinese Restaurant, Cai Feng Lou, can also be found here! Incorporating feather designs and other oriental elements, the restaurant uses the freshest ingredients from Songjiang district, and is known for their Shanghainese, Jiangzhe, and Cantonese delights.

At B14, there is also a bar, which has a futuristic design and provides sights of the quarry. Keeping some of the original piping structure, the place is furnished with red leather and wooden drinks racks to create a luxurious ambiance.

In the bar, try out the dishes cooked from the Tianma Mountain slates and Scottish whisky served with quarry rocks as ice.

The all-day restaurant adopts an interactive and open kitchen concept, serving western buffet meals. Within the restaurant, there is a children’s area for families who wish to dine here.

Quarry Wonderland

Exiting the hotel, you'll be greeted by the wonderland built by the Shimao Group. Having only recently opened to the public, first up is the glass bridge which provides incredible sights of the hotel. Following that are stations like the treehouse, adventure trail, and more - there is something for everyone.

InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland

Address: 5888 Chenhua Lu

Tel: [phone]

Opening: October 15th, 2018

Price: Currently, November and December are fully-booked and, according to the InterContinental website, reservations start from RMB 3,394.22/night.