Building begins on 'quarry hotel' where 17 storeys will be built into side of CAVE

Construction has started on a lavish 'underground' 5-star cave hotel which will be built into an abandoned quarry.

The 21-storey hotel in China's Sheshan national resort will have 370 rooms - many of which will be underground.

Spectacular artists' impressions showed how the unique luxury hotel will have two stories underwater, 17 inside a cave, and two above ground.

Bosses say the roof of the hotel will only be 15m above the cave.

This month, diggers were spotted at the huge site as construction firms prepared to get the stunning project underway.

Li Xuyang, a senior manager for Shimao Group, who are in charge of the project, said: '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 quarry hotel is expected to welcome its first guests in 2015.