Construction has begun on a £345m (US$534, €401.5m) hotel in China that will be partially built inside a 100-metre deep, water-filled, abandoned quarry.

British-based firm Atkins are behind the innovative design of the 400-bed cave resort, which will stand two levels higher than the rock face and will include underwater public areas and guestrooms.

The hotel is part of a larger project to build Shimao Shanghai Wonderland, a theme park built around the hotel.

The hotel will be operated by the Intercontinental Hotels Group and will be one of their flagship hotels in China.

The 19-storey cave hotel will also include a ten-metre deep aquarium, conference facilities for up to 1,000 people, a banqueting centre, restaurants, cafes and sports facilities.

The lowest level of the complex will feature a swimming pool and water-based sports.

An extreme sports centre for activities such as rock climbing and bungee jumping will be featured, as will special lifts to access the facilities from the water level of the hotel.

Atkins has also designed the structure to blend in with the surrounding landscape using an eco-friendly green roof, which will have foliage and trees on top of it.