Princess Louise, Holborn, WC1

As others have said, this must be one of the most impressive pub interiors in the capital if not the country. One of the many unusual features is the two entrance porches on each corner, each with two doors. One from each leads in to the front bar, which is probably the best place to appreciate the whole pub. The other doors lead to a corridor at each side of the pub, that goes up past the bar and opens out to a room at the rear. On the way past the bar are a couple of booths made of carved wood and etched glass. The edge of these booths runs right down to the bar counter, effectively creating your own small, private room with direct access to the bar. The side corridors have mosaic tiling on the floor, and some painted tiling on the walls. The central bar area is also made of detailed wood carving, and has a built in clock as it’s centre piece. Several columns rise to the ornate ceiling, topped with gold leaf paint. The only downside is really the choice of beer. Being a Samuel Smith’s pub, the only beer on offer appeared to be their own Old Brewery Bitter. Similarly the solitary cider was their own Cider Reserve. Even the spirits and soft drinks appeared to be from the Samuel Smith’s range.

This pub underwent a major refurbishment a few years ago, which saw the restoration of the many screens used to partition the interior into cubicles, leaving us with, in my opinion, the finest pub interior in the capital. The pub can be entered through two doors, each of which leads into a corridor running to the rear of the building. From these corridors, you can step into a number of beautifully partitioned drinking booths, each giving access to the bar. At the end of each corridor is a larger compartment, which is perhaps your best bet to head for if the pub is busy (which it invariably is). There is plenty of etched glass, mostly used in the partitioning walls, as well as some fine mirrors and tile work. An impressive frieze runs just below the intricately decorated ceiling. This is a Sam Smith's pub with their usual range of beers, including OBB on handpull. The staff seemed very friendly on my recent visit and coped well with the large number of customers crammed inside. It goes without saying that you will appreciate the pub more if you visit at a quieter time of the day. I'm not the biggest fan of Sam Smith's beer, but they deserve plenty of praise for the work they have done here as the restoration can only be viewed as a success. This is like a trip back in time and I'd heartily recommend this as a 'must visit' pub.

Steve of N21 has already covered the Victorian heritage of this pub, so I won’t bang on about it too much. But it really is a tour de force of Victorian interior decoration. Just about every original feature remains (mahogany bar back, etched and cut glass, etc, etc) except the bar dividing panels that Sam Smith’s restored a year or two ago, and no doubt contributed largely to the pub refurbishment of the year award that they received. A one-time Watney’s pub (I have a photograph of the infamous Red Barrel sitting on the bar!) it is now a Sam Smith’s house, so the beer choice, although by no means good, is an improvement. This pub is definitely worth a visit to see a classic Victorian pub interior in pristine condition.