Skip to main content

Could this be the scariest hotel swimming pool ever?

By CNNGo staff
August 9, 2012 -- Updated 2202 GMT (0602 HKT)
Is this a bird? Is this a plane? No, it's a daredevil swimmer.
Is this a bird? Is this a plane? No, it's a daredevil swimmer.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Holiday Inn pool in Shanghai stretches over street, 24 stories up
  • Portion of pool has glass bottom and is suspended in mid-air
  • The pool was designed by Singaporean firm Chan Sau Yan Associates

(CNN) -- Holiday Inn Shanghai Pudong Kangqiao's swimming pool has an exceptional view, as the image above shows.

Part of the indoor pool, which perches atop the 24-story hotel, protrudes from the main building and is suspended mid-air. Its bottom is constructed with toughened glass.

This gives guests a delirious sense of swimming in the sky -- they can see the street clearly down below while passers-by on Xiuyan Lu can see the swimmers way up above.

"I felt as if I was flying in the sky -- I could also enjoy the beautiful scenery of Pudong from here ... it's so cool and wonderful," a swimmer told CCTV.

Most of the pool at Holiday Inn Shanghai Pudong Kangqiao is indoors, without the overhang.
Most of the pool at Holiday Inn Shanghai Pudong Kangqiao is indoors, without the overhang.

"We wanted to provide our guests a unique swimming experience, and let them feel they're vacationing even in a bustling city," said a spokesperson from InterContinental Hotels Group, parent company of Holiday Inn.

While not splashing in the water, guests can enjoy Pudong urban views stretching as far as the Lujiazui skyline at the poolside lounge.

CNNGo: World's 50 best beaches

First of its kind in China

Exactly 30 meters long (about 98 feet), six meters wide (20 feet) and 1.5 meters deep (5 feet), the swimming pool is the first of its kind in China. It was designed by Singaporean firm Chan Sau Yan Associates, which helmed the interior design of the four-star hotel.

The Holiday Inn Shanghai branch said it gathered input from various architects and even aerospace experts while constructing this sky-high glass-bottomed water container to ensure its safety.

CNNGo: World's most spectacular swimming pools

The hotel did not reveal the pool's construction cost.

The 390-room, four-star hotel -- which opened in May 2011, is located in the booming suburb of Kangqiao, which is some 22 kilometers southeast from Shanghai downtown and 30 kilometers west of Shanghai Pudong International Airport.

According to the staff working at the hotel's gym, the swimming pool is open to hotel guests and a limited number of health club members.

Annual membership for the gym starts from about $2,400 per person.

Holiday Inn Shanghai Pudong Kangqiao, 1088 Xiuyan Lu, near Henghe Zhong Lu, Shanghai. +86 21 3829 1888, nightly rate: from $125, www.holidayinn.com

Do you know any cooler hotel swimming pools? Tell us about them in the comments section below.

CNNGo: 20 of the world's most iconic skyscrapers

© 2011 Cable News Network Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved

ADVERTISEMENT
Part of complete coverage on
CNN recommends
June 11, 2013 -- Updated 1817 GMT (0217 HKT)
It's about making an entrance. Dramatic entries are a given with air travel, and airports should convey a sense of welcome and arrival.
June 11, 2013 -- Updated 1222 GMT (2022 HKT)
Like food, music is different (and often better) when sampled alfresco.
June 6, 2013 -- Updated 1218 GMT (2018 HKT)
Yosemite National Park has almost everything a nature lover could desire.
April 22, 2013 -- Updated 1251 GMT (2051 HKT)
Get out and see what draws wilderness lovers to the United States.
February 4, 2013 -- Updated 1627 GMT (0027 HKT)
Check out daily travel photos from CNN.com readers and share your best shots
May 30, 2013 -- Updated 0217 GMT (1017 HKT)
Get ready to shred your vocal cords. Or just clench your jaw and hang on in terrified silence.
June 10, 2013 -- Updated 1212 GMT (2012 HKT)
We've come to expect fees for hotel WiFi and parking, but as lodging fees pile up, there are some that may come as a surprise.
April 7, 2013 -- Updated 1144 GMT (1944 HKT)
In the 1950s and '60s, the ocean liner SS United States was the choice of movie stars, famous musicians and kings.
April 26, 2013 -- Updated 1222 GMT (2022 HKT)
The worn-down, travel-weary businessperson is looking for proximity, convenience and comfort in an airport hotel. There's little time to waste.
April 29, 2013 -- Updated 1336 GMT (2136 HKT)
You heard of the two guys who recently opted in to a two-year, $1.5 million holiday? These are some of the sights they'll be privy to.
October 19, 2012 -- Updated 1245 GMT (2045 HKT)
Gross is everywhere. It's in the food we eat, it's in nature, and of course, we ourselves might be the greatest source of grossness.
July 28, 2012 -- Updated 0101 GMT (0901 HKT)
When five teenagers sat down and posed for a picture at Copco Lake in 1982, they didn't plan on making it a tradition. But that's what it became.
ADVERTISEMENT