New Atlas

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Spectacular "groundscraper" plunges down a disused quarry

Adam Williams January 29, 2019

The ambitious Shimao Wonderland Intercontinental Hotel certainly lives up to its informal "groundscraper" nickname. Hugging the cliff face of an 88 m (288 ft)-deep disused quarry, the building features an eye-catching waterfall-like glass atrium and an underwater restaurant and hotel rooms.

The Shimao Wonderland Intercontinental Hotel consists of two floors above ground and 16 floors below – ...

Architecture

Sweden's Icehotel opens for business with amazing new ice sculptures

Adam Williams December 21, 2018

It's that time of year again: the Swedish town of Jukkasjärvi is playing host to the annual Icehotel. Now in its 29th iteration, the frozen accommodation features amazing all-new handmade ice sculptures, including a classic VW bus, a candy store, and an underwater scene.

Spruce Woods, by Jennie O'Keefe and Christopher Pancoe, depicts a classic VW microbus, and is one ...

Architecture

Zaha Hadid-designed towers receive new luxury hotel

Adam Williams December 7, 2018

Zaha Hadid Architects' Nanjing International Youth Cultural Centre consists of two skyscrapers measuring 315 m (1,033 ft) and 255 m (836 ft)-tall. While completed a few years ago, the taller of the two buildings now features a new luxury hotel with a swimming pool near its top.

Though completed in 2015, the Nanjing International Youth Cultural Centre's interior recently received a new luxury ...

Architecture

Underwater hotel suite lets guests sleep with the fishes

Adam Williams November 13, 2018

Well-heeled visitors to the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island resort can now book a stay in a one-of-a-kind underwater hotel villa. Named Muraka, it features an expansive curved acrylic roof and allows guests to sleep beneath the waves without getting wet.

Room with an (underwater) view: guests at the Muraka will be given curated menus and have ...

Robotics

Alibaba's service robot will work the hotels

Ben Coxworth September 27, 2018

When we last heard about Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba, it was making deliveries-by-drone and developing a vending machine for cars. Now, Alibaba A.I. Labs has announced an artificially-intelligent wheeled robot that will be tending to the needs of hotel guests.

A side view of the Alibaba robot, which is slated to enter service in October

Holiday Destinations

Rustic floating hotel suite graces London's Grand Union Canal

Bridget Borgobello August 27, 2018

Gracing London's very first floating park, located in Paddington Basin on the Grand Union Canal, The Boathouse London offers unique floating accommodation for up to four guests. It features Scandinavian decor and makes liberal use of reclaimed wood for a rustic feel.

Gracing London's very first floating park, The Boathouse London offers unique floating accommodation for up to ...

Holiday Destinations

Airbnb tempts travelers with a night on the Great Wall of China

Adam Williams August 3, 2018

Airbnb has come up with another of its clever marketing stunts that offers competition winners a stay in one-of-a-kind locations. In a similar vein to its underwater bedroom and Lego House experiences, it's now offering the opportunity to spend one night on the Great Wall of China.

The competition to stay on the Great Wall of China is open until August 11

Architecture

Old transformer station becomes a five-star hotel in Copenhagen

Nick Lavars July 29, 2018

A decommissioned electrical station in Copenhagen has been given a second life as a luxury hotel. Local chain Brøchner Hotels oversaw the transformation of the facility, with the resulting boutique hotel maintaining a distinct industrial charm.

The Hotel Herman K opened its doors last month, with prices per night starting at DKK$2,965 ...

Architecture

Lush greenery-covered hotel planted in Vietnam

Adam Williams July 13, 2018

Vo Trong Nghia Architects has long professed a desire to add more greenery to Vietnam's cities and this is reflected with its latest project, the Chicland Hotel. The extraordinary building will be almost completely covered in vegetation and squeezed into an awkward plot near the coast in Da Nang.

The Chicland Hotel will be squeezed into a site measuring just 15 m (50 ft)-wide and ...

Holiday Destinations

Converted bridge control stations take tiny living to Amsterdam's canals

Nick Lavars July 12, 2018

The canals of Amsterdam are an iconic part of the city’s landscape, and the transformed stations once used to control their traffic are now serving as an intimate way to experience them, offering unique waterfront accommodation with a historical flavor.

Inside the Sweets Hotel, a guesthouse perched atop a bridge over an Amsterdam canal