How could I NOT be enamored with the idea of skating at the Tower of London! I went with my…read moreboyfriend and it was one of the best things we did on our whole backpacking trip around Europe! It was so much fun - there were tons of people just having fun at their own pace with friends and family. There weren't TOO many people so there was enough room to let loose. I hadn't ice skated in years but I didn't feel like too much like the experienced skaters would kill me (except once... but the guy fell 2 seconds later... poetic justice!). It was a tad pricey but it was totally worth it. Afterwards we had some snacks there which were VERY fairly priced. The hot chocolate was AMAZING -- it was made with magic and fairy dust or something cuz it made me feel all warm and yummy inside. The whole thing in general was just much fun and has been one of my favorite stories to tell about my trip.

Combine one of the most iconic images of London with skating on the ice with friends and family, it…read moredoesn't get much better than this as a cool thing to do in London. The Tower as a back drop sets the scene as you whizz, or in my case stumble around the ice to the sound of a brass band playing Christmas favourites. Hot chocolate is available, as are warm mince pies all adding to starting Christmas off with a bang. There were people of all ages and talents so no need to be a pro, and if you fall on your bum, like I did, then the ice marshall's will come to your rescue and help you up, with some added tips to improving your skating technique. All in all, a fantastic experience that leaves you wanting more, once the bruises heal that is.

Having visited last week and been satisfied but not impressed, I enjoyed my visit significantly…read moremore this time: the staff were attentive and friendly, and visible enough to find if there was a problem. While there still weren't many people in the place (rather expected for midday on a Tuesday!), the vibe was much more pleasant. Perhaps I just caught the staff on an off day last time? Either way, it was a very enjoyable visit. However, I would still absolutely prefer if there were direction signs to the bowling/restaurant/skating that weren't just printed on the floor, given the low lighting makes them hard to read!

Do you like ice-skating? QUEENS is London's ONLY Ice Rink and Ten Pin Bowling. Whether you want to…read morelearn to ice skate, try your hand at a game of ten pin bowling, enjoy a drink in the bar or sample some of our freshly prepared food the choice is yours. If you are a teenager group or a family looking for an activity on a rainy Sunday, this might be a fun place to go. The good thing about ice rank is that it is indoors and unlike any other place you even can go ice-skating in summer. The equipment all can be hired at the reception. Funny enough I was invited to a birthday to Queens. Even though it is original I did not really enjoy, as we were all grown up girls skating one round after the other. Not to mention this was summer! But pop icon Madonna and Guy Ritchie celebrated their son Rocco's 6th birthday at Queens then I am sure it I good enough for you little ones!

Canary wharf ice rink is right in front of canary wharf just above the shopping mall. A great…read morelittle location with bars and restaurants nearby. I didn't find the staff at the ice rink very polite or helpful, when my boyfriend and I were returning our ice skates the lady serving us took the skates from my boyfriend but never came back with his shoes and instead just dumped them at the other end of the counter. The ice rink looks very pretty as it has a large ornamental blue bowl in the middle and the trees are wrapped with lights. The narrow pass that goes around the bowl can get really congested and we found that perhaps there are too many people on the ice at one time.

The surface was not even at all there were places where 1cm high differences meant everyone was…read moretripping over them and falling. The ice skates have no breaks on which is dangerous if someone bumps into you there is nothing you can do to stop. The ring was completely overcrowded kids falling at you every minute felt 100% unsafe. Went previously to the Natural History Museum ring and it was not this bad.

I've only recently discovered this area; Lee valley overall is a bit of a surprise. It's generally…read morea bit dilapidated, forgotten, overlooked. Sprawling over parts of East London that most people pass through without giving the area a second glance. No hipsters to be found here. What I never expected was to find so much sporting action here; least of all an ice rink. Indeed it is no Somerset House, in fact it's very utilitarian; but if you're one of those people that trains all year round to perfect those turns and build up speed, you'll be blissfully free of the obstruction of kissing couples who can't really skate to save their lives and only decided to come so they could 'accidentally' fall on top of each other. They have nearly 2000 pairs of skates ranging from UK child size 6 to adult size 13, they do crash courses and half term courses for children. It has curiously staggered opening times; starting at 1130 till 3, 5 till 7 and then 830 till 1030. Goodness only knows why. Come here if you fancy giving Torvil and Dean a run for their money.

This is the home of the Lea Valley Kings, one of London's top ice hockey teams. Visit in the…read moreevenings and you are likely to meet at least one of their squad, practising their slinky moves on the rink. For the less fleet-footed, a barrier-aided scrabble around the perimeter will have to do, interspersed, of course, with the obligatory dozen degrading dumps on the coccix. Apart from my lack of grace, however, Lea Valley suffers from several of the afflictions common to ice rinks: the piped bump and grind R & B is unbearable; there is a resident population of local flash harries eager to shower the newbies with shaved ice from their skids at every opportunity and its overpriced for the equipment on offer. Having said all that, I like my local area that fraction more for being able to offer as different a night's entertainment as this. Just be aware, idyllic it ain't.

During the winter, this ice rink is located right next to the National History Museum. With the…read moremuseum's structure in the background, the scenery is rather nice. However, this is one of those attractions that can be skipped. The ice rink is actually not that big, is too crowded, and they only let you skate for one hour. You have to book additional hours to skate longer.

You are only allowed 1 hour to skate. A student discount also gives you a free voucher, which they…read moretry not to give you at first. And they were almost out of all of the drinks when we got there.

Perfect for a romantic gesture for your partner. The skates are decent and comfortable, the rink is…read morelarge and they limit the skaters so it doesn't get too crowded. Price is high, but its worth it for the scenery (highly recommend going after dark) the Christmas tree is a great touch. Plus there is a DJ knocking out good tunes for those feeling confident enough to wiggle as they go round! Also, your legs will feel tired after, so grab a mulled wine from the adjacent bar after an watch the next lot cautiously venture out. Best mulled wine I've ever had.

Still in my opinion the prettiest ice rink in London, I have been several times this year and can…read morenow schoop my way across the ice without falling over. It's a pricey ticket but really worth it if you only go skating once a year. Make sure you pop by Tom's Pop-Up Bar for mulled wine after. It's a £4 cup of warm yumminess.

So, in my head I was convinced that I would take to the ice with the style and elegance of an…read moreOlympic figure skater. I did this when I was ten, surely I can't have forgotten, right?? Alas, it wasn't to be...I clung to the barrier like some bandy-kneed bambi while teenagers wizzed past at break-neck speeds, oh well I'm sure I have other talents.... Ok, so I may not be the best ice skater, but this sure was fun, and I did improve during the course of my hour long session "hey look, no hands!" The setting is gorgeous, especially at night when the pavilion is lit up beautifully. You can book a one hour session from 10am until 9.15pm. We went for the 8pm slot but in hindsight we should have gone for the 9.15 as it was so much quieter. It's not a huge ice rink but it certainly fulfilled my needs. It even has a separate area for the little ones with plastic penguins to aid balance (maybe I should have borrowed one of those!). At £11 a pop it's reasonably expensive, but worth it for such a fun evening. I was very excited to hear that there was a pop-up Due South restaurant here, this being one of my favourite places to eat in Brighton. Unfortunately, it doesn't really live up to it's main branch - the food is pretty good but the service was slow and they got some of the order wrong. However, with views over the ice rink, it's great to sit and watch people try to skate and makes you feel much better about your own lack of skill and balance!!

Beautiful location for an ice rink. So picturesque that you can't help taking tons of…read morephotos...except for the fact that cameras are apparently not allowed on the ice. This is what we were told by one of the staff members but we couldn't be bothered to listen and brought the camera on anyway and took lots of amazing photos. They played fun music, the staff were helpful, the ice was well-maintained and clean and it was an overall great time. For spectators, there's a tent where you can eat and have drinks...but why not join in the fun? Deals: there's a student discount if you book online via Ticketmaster and during the X-mas season, skaters can get 1/2 price entry into the Royal Pavilion. So why not grab your boyfriend/girlfriend or friends and come by for a skate?

A great place for all the family. Huge rink, clean and tidy. It's suitable for all ages and skating…read moreabilities! The kids love it!

Great fun for everybody who has the courage to get ot there and " have a go " ! Chances are that…read moreyou'll be bombarded with real pro skaters, but they are considerate. The above dates are wrong for 2011. Skate commences on Dec 6th.