The Prae Wood Arms, St Michaels, St. Albans

Official site of The Prae Wood Arms - www.brunningandprice.co.uk

Official site of The Prae Wood Arms - www.brunningandprice.co.uk

Formerly a country house hotel but these days a Crown Carvery.It is reached down a long drive and is set in it's own grounds.The building is probably Georgian and the interior layout still reflects it's origins.The entrance lobby has a few Chesterfield chairs and other low back options and is three quartered panelled in wood.This leads to the conservatory where the bar runs down the interior wall and sports three handpumps all clipped with London Pride on my trip.There are quite a few chairs in this tiled section but through an arch there is a small side lounge on two levels ,carpeted with five small tables, large mirror and unused fireplace. The carvery is based in the rear room behind the bar ,and off this room there are a series of other rooms available for dining.Original fireplaces remain,a fine marble one in the carvery room.The views from these dining rooms are over the original garden,these days mainly lawn.On the otherside of the building there is a terrace with cast iron white garden furniture,a pleasant place to gather in good weather. Although the building is interesting,the furniture and decor is souless corporate and the food offering is priced at the extreme value end of the spectrum.Carvery large/small £4.19/£3.69 apart from Sunday £7.29 and baguettes with carvery meat were £3.65.Comfort starters and puddings.You can sit anywhere,all tables numbered and you could use this as a pub with the atrium the obvious place to pitch down.There are no flatscreens,fruit machines or games terminals but the muzak is mindless background wallpaper. My baguette was cheap but not cheerful,the pub appeared to be very popular with elderly value consumers.I'm unlikely to return.