Alton Towers has announced its new Caribbean-themed Alton Towers Splash Landings Hotel will open in June.

Designed and built by Shepherd Construction, Alton Towers says the hotel is the first in Europe to incorporate an indoor and outdoor water park, which will be exclusively for hotel guests.

Total investment in the project, which includes a new conference centre, was £40m.

Adjacent to the existing Alton Towers Hotel and linked to it by a covered walkway, the 216-room hotel features water fountains, tropical plants, a shark-cage themed lift, a 300-seat novelty restaurant ,where guests can watch their food being prepared, and a 250-seat terrace bar overlooking the integrated Cariba Creek Waterpark.

The 40,000 sq ft waterpark is themed as a Caribbean village. Complete with tropical landscape, interactive water elements surround a central feature of a tipping bucket, which cascades four tons of water onto swimmers.

Constructed beneath a 50,000 sq ft cellular roof, the one million gallon park features three rides, including a 208m Master Blaster. Other attractions are a hot tub set in the rim of a volcano and a lagoon area with slides for parents and small children.

The existing Alton Towers Hotel is also being refurbished this year and its 175 rooms will have a discovery theme. Luxury individually-themed suites - Chocolate, Fizz Factory, Arabian Nights and Princess - will also be available.

It is due to be completed in time for the opening of the Alton Towers Splash Landing Hotel. The two hotels will be capable of accommodating over 500,000 visitors a year.

Three new attractions will be introduced at Alton Towers for 2003, including Ribena Berry Bish Bash foam ball factory, Duel - The Haunted House Strikes Back interactive adventure ride and a 3D cinema. Details: www.altontowers.com