The Hotel Metropole is a substantial two storeyed hotel with basement located on the north-eastern corner of Brisbane and Waghorn Streets at Ipswich. Built in 1906, the Hotel is constructed of tuck pointed red brickwork of flemish bond heavily decorated with contrasting coloured brickwork and cement rendered dressings. The skyline is highlighted with decorative gables to the Brisbane Street parapet which conceals a hipped corrugated iron roof behind.
The principal facade to Brisbane Street is symmetrically composed around central loggia to ground and first floor. The main entrance to the building is via the ground floor loggia which is heavily decorated with painted cement rendered arches, columns and balusters and secured with cast iron grilles. Tessellated tiles line the floor. Additional arched entrances to bar areas are located either side of the loggia with a further entrance located off Waghorn street which currently opens into a more recently constructed beer garden that is fenced off from street access. The ground floor verandah to Brisbane and Waghorn Street elevations has timber posts, a cast iron valance and a recently replaced steel roof structure with curved colorbond roof sheeting and slotted ogee guttering.
The first floor loggia has stilted arches of contrasting brickwork with columns, pilasters, keystones and other cement rendered elements. The remainder of the facade is relieved with contrasting cement rendered dressings, sills, string courses, pilasters, entablature and pediment. The Waghorn Street facade includes a first floor verandah with a balustrade and valance in a sunflower pattern which was common in Victoria on boom era houses and hotels and was registered as pattern no:VIC 444 by J Cochrane & G Scott 17 November 1887. At the rear, the 'back of house' functions are expressed on the exterior of the building to Waghorn Street by a step in the parapet and the change in window treatment.
A timber framed cantilevered verandah with cast iron balustrade of a less elaborate detail is located on the rear elevation and overlooks the railway line.
The exterior joinery is generally intact and comprises double hung windows with four light upper sashes to segmental arched windows, multi-paned fanlights with circular lights to other arched openings and four panel doors.
The main entrance to the building opens off the loggia and provides access to bars either side and to the entrance to the stair hall leading to the accommodation on the first floor. The floor is lined with later parquetry with rendered walls and a pressed metal ceiling.
The entrance to the main stair hall has a fixed arched fanlight above the door with the words 'Hotel Metropole 1906' etched into it. The stair hall also has a pressed metal and contains a substantial and elaborately detailed cedar stair. An arched window with decorative leadlight.
The main bar area to the west of the hall has been substantially altered with the removal of several walls to form one main bar area on the principal corner of the building. Remnant walls have been retained as lintels to allow original plaster ceilings, cornices and ceiling roses to survive. A marble fireplace is located on the northern wall of the main bar and the floors are of timber covered with later linings. The bar area to the east of the hall has been heavily refurbished and little of its early interior is evident.
A kitchen, secondary stair and recently refurbished toilet facilities are housed at the rear of the building. The secondary stair provides access to the upper floor as well as to the basement and service entrance. The basement has a low floor to ceiling height and is used for storage.
The upper floor of the hotel generally retains its early layout and contains accommodation rooms and a common room on the western side of the stair hall. The eastern side has been altered and fitted out as a nightclub. The rear of the building houses single rooms and the bathrooms with internal timber partition walls lined with v jointed tongue and groove boards, timber floors and timber ceilings.
Much of the interior joinery on both levels is intact and generally appears to be cedar.