Royal Victoria Hotel

The Royal Victoria Hotel comprises an original building in the style of Haycock, dating from the 18th century, with later 19th-century extensions to the rear. A 20th-century two-storey link connects the original building to a very large 20th-century extension. The original building is three storeys high with a basement and features a three-window return. The construction is of stuccoed brick or stone with a shallow hipped slate roof and deep eaves.

The front façade is arranged with a 1:3:1 bay arrangement, the central three bays slightly recessed. It has glazing bar sash windows with slate sills; some are original while others have been replaced with horned sashes. The windows have 24 panes on the first floor, 16 panes on the ground floor on either side of the central entrance, and tripartite sash windows on the ground floor to the outer bays. A shallow loggia with six plain Doric columns, paired together in the centre, extends across the three central bays. Modern glazed double doors, accessed by modern steps, occupy the middle of the loggia, retaining the original radiating fanlight above.

The left return is arranged with a 4:2:3 bay arrangement, consisting of the original three bays, followed by an addition from 1868. The two central bays feature quoins that continue upwards to form a slightly projecting pedimented break, incorporating a prominent canted bay projection to both the ground and first floors. This canted bay has six plate-glass sashes on the first floor, and six sashes on the ground floor, the upper leaves (as in the right three bays on the ground floor) with glazing bars, and the lower leaves of plate glass. A first-floor conservatory is located to the left of the canted bay projection. Slate hanging is present on the right return.

While some parts of the hotel have been considerably altered, particularly on the ground floor, much of the 19th-century plan-form remains intact. The staircase hall, now the reception area, features two square-headed arches leading to a central pier with fluted pilasters, medallions, and carved console brackets. Remnants of a plaster cornice are visible in the room (bar) to the right. The straight-flight staircase to the first floor, dating from around 1868, has plain pilastered newels, carved splat balusters, and a moulded handrail. A stained glass window at the top of the staircase depicts apples, blossom, and birds. The staircase to the second floor has stick balusters, two to each tread, an open carved string, and a plain moulded handrail. The Padarn Room on the first floor—likely the coffee lounge of 1868—is a large rectangular space with a high ceiling and three round-headed arches with stained glass panels leading out to the conservatory. Modifications were underway during inspection, including lowering the ceiling in the Padarn Room.