Overall: We’d stay here again ONLY for the lava flow view. The details: Arenal Observatory Lodge is located on the lava-flow side of Arenal Volcano (at least it is currently – the lava flow shifts from time to time). We stayed in a “standard” room located on the second floor for three nights. AOL is remote. To get here, we... more

We didn' t stay in this hotel but we will on our next trip. We rented mountain bikes and road through their trails. There are so many bike and hiking trails there. We had the whole place to ourselves. We saw toucans and other amazing birds. This place has the BEST view of Arenal. You can hear the Volcano from... more

My wife and I had lunch at the Arenal Observatory Lodge last year while visiting the area. As we liked the location, we specifically looked at all the rooms in all the buildings and selected the "Smithsonian Rooms" as where we would like to stay on a future trip. They are clearly marked by large signs alongside the access road... more

My daughter and I spent two nights here, I wish we had more time. It is the ONLY place to see the lava coming down from the volcano. All of the other accommodations are in La Fortuna--on the side of the volcano with NO lava and on an ugly stretch of highway packed with tourist spots. People crowd onto a... more

AOL is in a great location for viewing the lava flows. That is why one stays here. I stayed in a Smithsonian room. It is located at the rear of the property with an unobstructed view of the volcano. The room is basic, but clean. It has a nice balcony with comfortable chairs, and it is the perfect perch for... more

The previous posting by Austin Adventurer is "spot on". If I were going back to Arenal, I'd consider visiting the hotel and having a drink on the observatory deck in order to view the lava ... but I wouldn't stay at this property. The 9km road to the hotel is terrible. It's much worse than any portion of the road... more

So here's the deal. Currently all the activites/most hotels/etc. are on the east La Fortuna side of the volcano. But the lava is on the west side. So we drove in from Monteverde, stayed here one night, then stayed on the other side. We were glad that we stayed here. We stayed in a superior room with a view of... more

Great location, so close to Arenal Volcano at times you look to see if the latest rocks spewing from it are going to roll up to your room. Staff is extremely friendly and helpful. Miles of trails, both those on the property and those through surrounding mountains, rivers, and jungle. Complete with howler monkeys, dozen type of hummingbirds, toucans, etc... more

This is a great stay. Every room has a perfect view of the volcano. At night, you can often see molten rocks roll down the side of the volcano. The grounds of the lodge were beautiful and filled with plants and flowers. The restaurant serves great food at the buffet and has a great view of the lake. The pool... more