Would you ever believe that one of the best experiences this Florida girl has had so far in London involved paying to be in subzero temperatures for 40 minutes?
The ICEBAR BY ICEHOTEL offers a truly unique entertainment experience. Located on Heddon Street, one of Central London’s most vibrant side streets, the ICEBAR London is perfect for an exhilarating date night or a large party. We were lucky enough to know that it required an advance reservation and made it weeks ahead of time.
I was a bit nervous before the adventure, because I was not sure if I would enjoy being in a bar made of ice for 40 minutes.
A pre-game drink in the lounge to melt the jitters solved that problem!
As our reservation time got closer, we joined the queue of people who seemed equally as curious and excited about taking the plunge. Once we approached the entrance to the bar, I could see staff members quickly preparing each guest. When it was my turn, a friendly staff member threw a designer thermal cape with hood and attached gloves over me.
“Off you go!”
It was true. The walls, bar and tables were entirely made of pure ice.
After the initial shock of the temperature, we quickly ordered our first drink that, yes, came in a glass made of ice.
The bartender advised us to make sure we rotated the glass as we sipped. Within minutes, it was obvious why. The glasses began melting around the rims.
Next, all the people who received their drinks began going mad with photos, including me.
After a few minutes, we needed to put our gloves back on our freezing hands, so we decided it was time a great time to order a second round.
The bartender made excellent suggestions that were personalized for us both. 
He also offered to take a few pictures for us so we could avoid those hideous misaligned selfies. His photographic savvy showed quickly when he suggested how we should stage ourselves and drinks for fabulous photos.
The 40 minutes zipped by, and despite the Arctic temperature, I was never too uncomfortable. Most likely, it was the dancing and excitement that made the frigid air warm and exhilarating.
On this busy, fully-booked Friday night, I also didn’t feel too crowded, because the establishment was keen to monitor the bookings and ensured the experience was top quality for everyone.
Once our time ended, we did stay to have dinner in the belowzero restaurant + lounge, and the meal was fabulous.
The ICEBAR is an excellent venue for both Londoners and tourists to have a hot night on Heddon Street.
Please note, the IceBar closed in early Spring 2020. This post was updated on 14 April 2020 to reflect this.
