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Cambridge PuG Crawl, Friday 5th April 2024 with Gann on the Pub Forum

Princess Louise, Holborn, WC1

208 High Holborn
WC1
WC1V 7EP
Phone: 02074058816

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Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) Add Review see review guidelines


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Quinno _ left this review about Princess Louise

A long overdue revisit. No change to my previous review, much the same as before and a real gem of an interior. I went for the cask OBB which was in surprisingly good shape for London (NBSS 3.5). Also managed to catch the brilliant tiled toilets this time. Excellent pub, but time your visit wisely! 8.5

April 2009
Wow, what a good job Sam Smiths have done in here. Love all the new snug areas, mirrors, mahogany fittings, colourful tiles, plasterwork, marble, partitions, cut and etched glass - sumptuous. Others can describe the ornate interior better than I. Usual cheap Sam Smith beer on tap but fortunately the fridges are stocked to the max with their bottled range. Staff could do with a course in smiling, the girl who served me looked like her face would crack if she tried. Well-worth a visit to catch the interior; whether you want to come back for more depends on how well you get on with SS beers. Historical note: the pub is named after Queen Victoria's daughter Louise, Duchess of Argyll. Rated 7

On 29th September 2019 - rating: 9
[User has posted 5043 recommendations about 5026 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Brainy Pool left this review about Princess Louise

there are must visit pubs and then there are must must must visit pubs. Even without considering the price of beer, this is obviously in the latter category. You don’t need me to describe it so I won’t - just appreciate it. Thank god this one didn’t fall into the hands of M&B or Greed King, because it’s truly a gem. And 10/10 for the waitress who tirelessly rushed around the bar and somehow kept up with the stream of orders.

On 13th May 2019 - rating: 10
[User has posted 1051 recommendations about 1016 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Tris C left this review about Princess Louise

I first came here in the autumn of 1987 and then was something of a regular for a couple of years. The pub wasn’t then owned by the Sage of Tadcaster and as a result, you could get around eight ales on rotation. The lavatories were there but the panels – and possibly other elements of this pub’s fabled finery – may not have been present though. The pub was certainly more opened out and more comfortable. It also wasn’t rammed solid every evening.
Restored in 2007 and now a CAMRA Heritage Pub: mirrors, tiles, partitions, cut and etched glass – this pub has it all, centred around a lovely long island bar. The pub is famous for its ornate gent’s lavatories, but there’s at least one unisex mini khazi which is – ahem – bog standard.
A generally charming place but as mentioned, the screens reduce floor space and also impede eye contact with the staff which increases time spent trying to order a drink. They also mean that getting about the pub is a bit arduous – you can see why modern pubs have been opened out to such an extent.
Ales: just the one of course, Old Brewery on cask and at a very reasonable £3.20 a pint.
Ok, so this is a very attractive pub but it’s not that practical; it may be better at quieter times. This and the limited choice of ale mean that for me, unlike 30 years ago, this is now a must-visit curiosity, a place I’d take a friend who’d never been, but it’s not a place I’d choose to spend an evening.

Closes at 6.45 pm on Sundays.

On 24th February 2018 - rating: 8
[User has posted 1955 recommendations about 1922 pubs]


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E TA left this review about Princess Louise

A Sam Smith's pub. So you know what you're getting beer-wise in spite of the grand mock-Baroque interior whose tiles and stained glass are, to be fair, quite impressive as indicated by the previous reviews. The full range of Sam Smith's beers was available in keg, with only Old Brewery Bitter on hand-pump. The downstairs was cramped and crowded, while the upstairs bar and dining room was reasonable comfortable, probably because standing at the bar is discouraged. The staff were pleasant but not particularly helpful, the other clientele a decent bunch. The food was nothing special – the usual London pub grub selection, but not as good: badly-microwaved gristle pie, cold veg and unpeeled oven chips. They also sneaked a 1.58% surcharge on the bill because we paid by card. There was no WiFI here. I would possibly drop in for a pint when passing or include on a crawl, but I wouldn't bother eating here again.

On 5th November 2015 - rating: 6
[User has posted 3272 recommendations about 3237 pubs]


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Bucking Fastard left this review about Princess Louise

A very thorough review from Mr Bonser picks up the main points,I would only add that the stairs to the extreme right of the building and up from the back bar( near where the stairs take you down to the magnificent gents ) leads up to a comfortable upstairs lounge with a small counter also serving OBB ,and all the Sam Smith keg lager,cider and stout offerings.Food is served here Monday to Saturday lunchtimes ,and Mon-Thursday evenings.
The presence of just one,rather bland real ale will always been an impediment to enjoying an evening in here,but this is a wonderful recreation of a Victorian pub interior by Sam Smiths and the gents a pleasure to behold.

On 30th March 2014 - rating: 8
[User has posted 2709 recommendations about 2709 pubs]


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hondo . left this review about Princess Louise

I cant add to the extensive descriptions of the wonderful interior of this pub a must visit if in the area. Double up this pub with the nearby holborn whippet a bar with less character but a large beer and lager selection.

On 4th June 2012 - no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]


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Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Princess Louise

Full of character, and deservedly full of customers (although the partitioned areas make navigation towards and around the bar somewhat tricky). The former Sam Smith's bargain pricing policy seems to have gone out of the window, but this is still a must-visit pub for the interior alone.

On 8th April 2012 - rating: 8
[User has posted 8061 recommendations about 8061 pubs]


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John Bonser left this review about Princess Louise

Close to Holborn Tube station on the main road is The Princess Louise, probably the finest remaining example of an elegant Victorian pub interior in London.

The pub was originally built in 1872 with an interior largely dating back to 1891. The building is Grade 2 listed.

The pub has two separate entrances with, unusually, each entrance having both a door leading into the front bar and a door leading into a tiled corridor running down each side of the pub. The central bar is horseshoe shaped and has an ornate mahogany bar back which includes a four sided clock. A series of etched cut glass screens, reintroduced during a major sympathetic refurbishment in 2007, has created a number of partitioned drinking booths, accessed via the tiled corridors running down each side of the pub. These tiled corridors have mosaic tiled flooring and a series of embossed mirrors. Note also the fine plasterwork ceiling. Seating is mainly bar stools, but some comfortable banquette seating may be found in both the larger front and back bar areas.

To get a good impression of the interior in its entirety, visit the front bar where you can look down to the far end with the partitioned booths on either side. The downstairs gents toilets with its shining marble urinals are also worth a look, although they’re a poor second in my book to those at Liverpool’s Philharmonic. The Princess Louise features in CAMRA’s book of London Heritage Pubs.

A couple of minor quibbles – the reintroduction of the etched screens that now divide up the interior appears to have reduced floor space. It’s also made it a bit harder to get served on occasions as the screens seem to reduce the field of vision of the bar staff.

Previously owned by Watneys, and subsequently Vaux of Sunderland, it’s now a Sam Smith’s pub with, as expected, the OBB being the only real ale available – priced at a very reasonable ( by London standards ) £ 2.72p.

The marvellous interior largely compensates for the absence of any quality real ale. You really should call in if the opportunity presents itself.

On 26th January 2012 - rating: 8
[User has posted 560 recommendations about 560 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


BobOs . left this review about Princess Louise

Famous for its remarkable and important Victorian interior with a most sumptuous display of tiling and mirrors. Two entrances on each corner, each with two doors; one leading in to the front bar, the other giving entrance to a corridor at each side of the pub that runs alongside the bar to open out to a room at the rear. Access from the corridor leads to three small ‘snug’ bars with screens of carved wood and ornately etched and gilded glass. Check out the amazing Victorian urinals in the gents - no need to vsist - see my photo above! Warm enough welcome but, as has been said before, Sam Smith's ale range is less than inspiring! Part of my "Victorian Splendour" crawl - see link below.

On 28th September 2011 - rating: 8
[User has posted 370 recommendations about 355 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Blackthorn _ left this review about Princess Louise

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.

On 28th March 2011 - rating: 8
[User has posted 1937 recommendations about 1850 pubs]

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