Investigating partial in-ground/on-ground pool

I'm looking at putting a small pool in a side yard about 16 ft wide and 34 foot long. It slopes about three foot over the distance. My thoughts are to do a partial in-ground installation with a decking at the high end of the yard wrapping partially around the pool and then stepping down to another level platform. I'd like to brick the areas around the pool with a hardcore and sand base and use retaining wall block to create the upper level and step down to the lower level. At the lower level about 2 - 3 feet of the pool would be under the grade level. I'm thinking that 12 ft wide is about the max that the pool can be and even then there will be a narrow walk way at the narrowest part. I'm looking at putting one side up to within about 6 inches of a fence and then will have about 3.5 feet up to the side of the house.
This is a pool that I've been looking at. It's a buttressless aluminum pool 12 x 18 oval which says that it can be in-ground. It's a King George made by Poseidon pools. http://www.redspools.com/KingGeorge.asp
Does anyone know anything about this pool or company?
Any words of wisdom on the installation? Can I really put dirt compacted up to the walls or should I build a retaining wall completely around the pool with retaining wall brick at the high end and with possibly cement at the lower end...maybe a 4- 6" thick section of poured cement around the pool. Then I'd be compacting the hardcore and sand against that....or....??
Any other pools that you would recommend?