Monday 10th of November 2008 03:12:04 PM

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The Princess Louise is an amazing and wonderful place to visit from an architectural point of view. And the atmosphere is authentic and enjoyable pub. And while the selection is small (only one real ale: Samuel Smith’s Old Brewery Bitter), the price is substantially below any other London pub. Bottom line: extremely well worth visiting.

There are numerous small enclosed sections around a central bar/serving area. There’s not really a bar back per se but in the middle is an elaborately carved wooden structure with more etched/frosted glass and a four-sided clock. Each section around the bar is divided from the rest by carved dark wood panels inset with ornate frosted/etched glass. Two doors from the outside lead either to the central front room (with a large bay window with cut-glass along the bottom) or to one of the two hallways on either side that open into the small bar sections and a larger room at the back with decorated mirrors and embossed brightly colored tiles. Each hallway is decorated by elaborately gilded, frosted, and etched mirrors, more elaborate ceramic tiles, including one section of flowers, bright colors, and grecian urns, and roman-looking mosaic floors. The tall ceiling throughout is bright yellow ornate 3-D plaster (or plaster-like) and several stone (or stone-simulation) columns with ornate gold-colored capitals reach up to the ceiling from the bar surface. And not only that, the chandeliers are also incredible - brass with individual glass lamp shades that are frosted white, with a design pattern, and that change to a rose color at the bottom.