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The 12 best bars of Christmas
By David Hudson, London Lite 18.12.06
Really cool: revellers wear thermal cloaks as they drink vodka from ice glasses at the Ice Bar
Dusk: a cosy atmosphere after a £250,000 refurbishment
Albannach: throwing 'the ultimate Christmas party'
The Nordic Bar: a potent range of beers
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With Christmas coming, a partygoer's thoughts turn to themed drinking. We want fake snow, Santa to DJ and waitresses dressed as elves. This is DAVID HUDSON'S guide to your 12 best bars of Christmas.
Ice Bar
The UK's first permanent ice bar, the interior is kept at minus five degrees centigrade throughout the year, with everything inside made of ice, from the walls and tables to the glasses from which you sip the range of vodka cocktails. Booking is recommended during the winter months, with your £12 admission entitling you to the loan of the designer thermal cape that you'll need to stay warm, your own cocktail glass and your first cocktail.
31-33 Heddon Street W1 (020 7478 8910, belowzerolondon.com). Open until 11.45pm Sun to Wed and 12.40am Thurs to Sat, with admission £12, or £15 at weekends.
Trafalgar Hotel
ONe of the most stunning bars in the capital this festive season, the hotel's two-tiered garden bar (covered for the winter - you won't freeze) and restaurant boasts a panoramic view across Trafalgar Square. Open throughout December. Visit between 5pm and 9pm any evening between now and 23 December to catch the annual Christmas carol performances in Trafalgar Square below.
2 Spring Gardens, Trafalgar Square SW2 (020 7870 2900, thetrafalgar.com). Open until 11pm, free.
Montgomery Place
For the festive season, the team at this small but perfectly formed Notting Hill bar has come up with an innovative selection of " hot cocktails". Choose from the likes of a Raspberry Mint Julep Blazer, a Spiced Vanilla Tom & Jerry or a traditional Hot Toddy.
31 Kensington Park Road W11 (020 7792 3921, montgomeryplace.co.uk). Open until midnight, free.
Everything Must Go
The Heavenly Social crew have taken over the venue formerly known as Pop and rechristened it " Everything Must Go" - because that's exactly what it will be doing come the dark days of January. Two months of gigs and club events to accompany the usual festive hard drinking.
13 Soho Street W1 (020 7734 4004, myspace.com/everythingmustgolondon) Open until midnight. Admission prices vary.
Dusk
A popular, late-night Battersea haunt, Dusk recently had a £250,000 refurbishment and is now a designer bar more than an old-style pub. Nonetheless, there ' s a cosy atmosphere thanks to the use of wood and leather, and a nicely roaring fire. For the Christmas season, Dusk is offering its own Bloody Mary soup - a warm mug of tomato juice and Tabasco and a double slug of chilli-infused vodka.
339 Battersea Park Road SW11 (020 7622 2112, duskbar.com). Open until midnight Tues and Wed, 1am Thur, and 2am Fri and Sat (closed Sun and Mon), free.
The Big Chill House
Sister venue to the Big Chill Bar in Bethnal Green, this cavernous space opened a couple of months ago and has become one of central London's most popular late-night DJ bars. They were never likely to let the festive season pass without some extra special parties, which include the Winter Festival Weekend from today. There's an all-day Hootenanny bash from midday onwards on Sunday while the Fingerlickin' records crew preside over a Christmas Party next Thursday.
257-259 Pentonville Road, King's Cross N1 (020 7427 2540, bigchill.net). Open until 1am weekdays, 4am Fri and Sat. £5 after 11pm at weekends.
Bavarian Beerhouse
If jugs of beer and waitresses in traditional dirndl dresses take your fancy, head for the Bavarian Beerhouse for a thigh-slapping evening of drinking and dining. For the festive season the venue has recently launched its own Ski Hut Allgau - a private room available for party bookings. The drinks menu includes half a dozen schnapps, such as the intriguingly-named Pornobrause - a strange brew of vodka and sherbet.
190 City Road EC1 (020 7608 0925, bavarian-beerhouse.co.uk). Open until 11pm Mon to Thurs, 1am Fri and Sat, closed Sun.
Albannach
A huge, beautiful and awardwinning bar on the edge of Trafalgar Square, the Albannach promises to serve up a taste of a Highlands Christmas. With a deer antler chandelier dominating the main room, this bar combines the modern and traditional, while the basement houses the latenight cocktail lounge, Doon. The venue is throwing what it is billing as the ultimate Christmas party on Sunday, from 7pm until 1am. Expect fairy lights and fake snow, happy hour prices on all drinks all evening, plus mince pies and mulled wine, and Santa's grown-up grotto.
66 Trafalgar Square WC2, 020 7930 0066, albannach.co.uk). Open until 1am Mon to Wed, 3am Thurs to Sat, closed on Sun. Admission £5 in advance or £7 on the door.
The Old Queen's Head
Combining all the comfort of a traditional pub setting (the Sunday roasts are legendary), with a mix of hip DJ nights and eclectic guest spots, it's little surprise that this fantastic Islington boozer is packed out on most nights of the week. Highlights include a Christmas party on the 23rd and a big Boxing Day bash from the Wah Wah and Best Kept Secret crews.
44 Essex Road, Islington N1 (020 7354 9983, theoldqueenshead.com). Open until midnight Mon to Wed, 1am on Thurs, 2am Fri and Sat, 11pm Sun. £3 after 10pm on Fri, after 9pm on Sat, or for selected live performances
Proud Gallery
In the heart of the Stables Market in Camden, the Proud Gallery's Winter Wonderland festival features reindeer chandeliers, singing mooses and comfy leather sofas, or as they describe it, "like a Forties ski chalet dropped in the heart of Camden". They've erected a large marquee over the terrace, and are keeping things warm with the fortnightly Brazilian night every other Wednesday (check out the Brazilian Christmas Carnival on Wednesday), and live music and DJs for the rest of the week.
The Gin House, Stables Market, Chalk Farm Road NW1 (020 7482 3867, atproud.net). Until 11pm on Mon and Tues, 1am Wed to Sat, midnight on Sun. 3am opening tonight. Admission £5 on Thurs, Fri and Sat.
The Café Bar
Could there possibly be a more festive place? Enjoy mulled wine from the fully-licensed bar of the Natural History Museum's winter café, overlooking this historic building's impressive skating rink. Things appear even more magical in the evening, when the ice is illuminated by Christmas lights in the surrounding trees.
Natural History Museum Ice Rink, Cromwell Road SW7 (020 7942 5000, nhmskating.com). Open from 10am until 10pm between now and Jan, free
The Nordic Bar
This bar is about as close as you're gonna get to Lapland this year, providing an authentic food and drinks menu within a cosy basement setting. We defy anyone not to come over all festive after a couple of Snowflakes (Tia Maria, vanilla Bols and fresh cream).
There's also a potent range of beers, with some f rom Scandinavia that you're unlikely to find anywhere else in London.
25 Newman Street, Soho W1. (020 7631 3174, nordicbar.com). Until 11pm, free
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