England’s most delightful ice skating rinks for Christmas 2023

You’ll find the very best ice skating rink in London in the buzzing heart of the city. The Hyde Park Christmas Ice Rink is the largest outdoor rink in the UK and is part of the hotly anticipated Hyde Park Winter Wonderland that pops up every year near the Victorian bandstand in the historic park. The ice skating is spectacular with areas suited to all ages and abilities but this festive extravaganza offers so much more than a memorable winter skate. Other top attractions on site include the vast Santaland fun fair with the Ice Mountain roller coaster and Real Ice Side; Zippo’s Circus, the Bavarian village, and ice sculpting workshops. And in addition to Christmas market stalls loaded with sweet treats, this year’s event will also feature a street food village with tasty snacks from around the world.

Where to stay: Cosy up in one of the most luxurious hotels in London including The Athenaeum Hotel & Residences in Mayfair, The Hari in Belgravia and The Capital Hotel, Apartments & Townhouse in Knightsbridge.

The buzzing seaside town of Brighton offers one of the most instagrammable Christmas ice skating rinks in the land. This iconic rink pops up every year in front of the famous Royal Pavilion -— a palace created as the seaside pleasure palace of King George IV by architect John Nash. It’s super twinkly, manages to provide both a romantic setting for couples and a warm welcome for families, and wins extra kudos for the fact that its ice rink is powered entirely by green energy. Come and munch on mince pies and enjoy hot chocolate loaded with marshmallows or a warming glug of mulled wine in the city renowned for fun, inclusivity and warm hospitality whatever the time of year. And take note that Brighton is also a great shopping destination for finding fabulously unique Christmas gifts.

Where to stay: Live it up like a king or queen at Bailiffscourt Hotel & Spa, one of the finest luxury hotels in Sussex. This historic hotel offers cosy guest rooms in a selection of Mediaeval-era houses and cottages.

If you fancy lacing up your skates in Yorkshire, the historic city of York is putting on a sparkly yuletide spectacle not to be missed. Yorkshire’s Winter Wonderland is home to The Ice Factor, the largest Christmas ice rink in the north of England with 975 sq m of real ice and a 30ft high Christmas tree as its centre. It’s the perfect place for a festive skate and there’s also plenty of family-friendly attractions, including a fantastic funfair with plenty of rides to suit all ages and a sweet Santa’s Grotto. Log cabins surround the ice rink and you can also tuck into Christmas food and drink at The Chalét, a cosy alpine café that has a rinkside terrace where you can watch the world whizz by.

Where to stay: Middlethorpe Hall & Spa, an elegant country house hotel that has an away from it all vibe despite being within easy reach of all the city of York’s top attractions.