If there’s one thing one does not expect in the heart of Dubai’s desert landscapes, it is a veritable winter wonderland of an ice rink like the Abu Dhabi Ice Rink. Ideally situated off Airport Road within minutes of the main town, the popular recreation point is located within the Zayed Sports City complex which is a premier hotspot in the area for sports activities that are geared for the entire family. Spread out over an area of 1800 square metres, the Olympic size ice rink is an engineering marvel in its own right. With the capacity to accommodate 400 skaters at once, the venue also boasts a 1200 seating capacity for spectators. A grandstand and a hospitality quarter for VIP’s are also located within the premises which is often used for international ice shows due to its contemporary facilities and skating amenities.
Opening its doors to the public at 9am each morning, the rink stays open till 10pm on average and is frequented by families and serious skating enthusiasts alike. Attracting budding skaters and those in search of a refuge from the sweltering heat of Abu Dhabi, the rink has become the preferred amusement area for residents and seasoned visitors. While membership at the venue is also available for avid skaters, visitors can pay a nominal fee for the use of the rink where lessons for beginners are also conducted regularly. Skating lessons for female skaters are held on specific dates although ice hockey practices and lessons typically dominate the rink on weekends.
Having hosted prestigious events such as the Magic on Ice Show produced by Steve Wheeler who is widely regarded as one of the world’s finest ice-skating illusionists, visitors will be delighted to catch equally high-profile skating extravaganzas of the like at the venue. In fact the 2010 production of the Night at the Oscars performed by the Abu Dhabi Figure Skating Team also took place at the rink for the fourth consecutive year in a row.
Visitors in search an elegant hotel in Abu Dhabi close to the capital’s CBD will find no finer option than the stylish Kingsgate Hotel Abu Dhabi. Conveniently situated in the centre of the city’s tourist hub, this charming rest is also one of the few hotels in Abu Dhabi that is also a stone’s throw away from the iconic Abu Dhabi Mall.