We stayed here on a package tour and had no idea what to expect. After flying into and then driving from San Jose we were exhausted. We were greeted and checked in quickly and got to relax in the natural hot springs pools (and did this every night of our stay!)

The resort has great views of the volcano, especially from the observation point - its well worth the hike. The staff was very friendly and accommodating.

One thing I would make sure not to do is get advice on excursions from the hotel they are marked up quite a bit and the concierge is a little pushy. We found Eric (Volcano Lake Adventures) in town right near the Backpacker's Hostel and he was very friendly and reasonable. He is a Californian who relocated to Costa Rica and has gotten a TripAdvisor award for helping tourists. He can book you any excursion you wan in CR and get you a really good price!

This is indeed a beautiful property. It is located right on the side of the Arenal volcano and provides the best views. You will also be surrounded by rainforest sounds and a feeling that you might see something interesting at any moment. (We saw a tolomuco on our hike to the volcano observatory point!)

I highly recommend the upper cottages (they are called "superior"), since they have balconies that offer spectacular unobstructed views. You need a shuttle to get to the reception/restaurant/hot springs area, but as our reviewers pointed out, the shuttle comes within seconds. Also, you can walk down yourself if you so choose. There is a nice hanging bridge on the way, too.

Another advantage is that this is a convenient location for various tours: hanging bridges in the cloud forest, Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge, whitewater rafting, ziplining, horseback riding, etc, etc, etc.

Ziplining is right on the property, which is excellent. The guides are skillful and make you feel safe. We didn't realize until the last day that people drive for 5 hours from the coast to Los Lagos just to enjoy it, and we had it right under our noses!

Be aware, however, that the volcano is not active -- don't believe the brochures -- and that its top is almost always under cloud cover.

We had booked through Jet Set Vacations (travelbyjen.com) after a promotion on Travelzoo. We had problems with the rental from Thrifty - it took them well over an hour to release our previously booked and paid for vehicles to us. We ended up driving in the dark to the hotel on rather treacherous roads so it was a nail biting experience to get to the hotel. If we were to do it again, we would book a shuttle from the airport since if you do go off property, the tour operators will pick you up at your hotel.
As indicated by previous posters, the hotel rooms are basic but large. Our friends found their first hotel room to have a strong moldy odour, so they requested and received a transfer to another room. We found the hotel staff to be helpful throughout our visit. The fellow in the restaurant who served us our morning coffee and hot chocolate for the kids was popular with our group! Patios at the front and back entrances allowed us to take in the beautiful scenery around us. It was interesting that you have to call reception to have a coffee package (the usual fake milk, sugar, and coffee kit) delivered at a $1 cost. The breakfasts were excellent. We had lunch at the pool bar one day - expensive and not good. The dinner pricing was expensive so we ate in town - there are many options for less costly and far better food. Most of the rooms arent close to the restaurants and pool so one can shuttle or take a 10 minute walk to and from the rooms. We enjoyed the hot springs on site and also took the canopy tour. Overall the hotel was a good value for the money.

The resort is beautifully landscaped. Hot springs pool was relaxing. The food was very good. The front desk staff, particularly Grevin, were so helpful. The rooms were large and good for families. A shuttle is needed to get to rooms but they were responsive to calls for pick ups and drop offs in a timely manner.