We loved this resort, and missed its beauty and tranquility for the rest of our Costa Rica trip. Despite some shortcomings (see below), I rate it five stars for its amazing volcano view, abundant wildlife, lovely natural gardens, and peaceful atmosphere.

Pros:

Wildlife: I do not know many birds, but from our balcony we saw many tanagers and hummingbirds, some flycatchers and warblers, a black guan, and a great curassow. From the restaurant we saw an Oropendola, woodpecker, great Kiskadee, and a coati. A Jesus Christ lizard ran across the pond next to the restaurant and we saw and heard several frogs at night.

Views: We stayed in a luxury suite near the top of the hill and had a beautiful view of the rainforest stretching all the way to the cone of Arenal volcano. The bed faced a wall that was almost entirely windows, so that you could lie in bed and enjoy the view.

Room: The luxury suite was huge and spotless, with a large balcony overlooking the volcano. The bed was ok. The large shower could easily fit a family, and was outstanding! My husband, who is chemically sensitive and often suffers from bad smells in hotel rooms, enjoyed the great air quality. We kept the balcony doors open during the day and saw only one ant in our room during our stay, so no bug problem.

Tranquility: Although there were many people at the hotel, it was absolutely peaceful. No traffic noise, no music; just the sounds of birds, frogs, and insects. I was there with family but the beautiful rooms, views, and tranquility would make this a very romantic retreat.

Gardens: Several of the other hotels we saw had large expanses of lawn. We loved that Lost Iguana had no lawn, and was fully planted with natural-looking gardens that made you feel you were in the middle of the jungle.

Cons:

Restaurant: The breakfast (included in the room rate) was just average, and the other meals we had were quite poor.

Lack of screens: The lovely large glass windows that take up almost one entire wall do not have any screens. Keeping our balcony doors open during the day allowed us to enjoy the wonderful fresh mountain air, and we did not have a problem with bugs. We would have liked to keep them open at night to enjoy the cool air and night sounds, but we did not do so because there were no screens. The only screened windows are very small and close to the ceiling, so we did not get to enjoy the wonderful fresh air at night.

Our twelve-year-old son writes:
We had a luxury suite. It was perfect for a family of three, with ample room. When you went outside at night, you heard frogs chirping all the time. It was very, very relaxing. You could look at a birdbath and see three or four frogs hanging out in there. When you went to the restaurant, there was a series of pools, and each one of them had one frog in them. We even saw a gigantic cane toad. In the restaurant they set out fruit for birds, and a coati came and ate the fruit too. We saw a Jesus lizard near the pond there. The fact that we only stayed two nights and saw all this nature makes me think that this really is a hotspot for birds and frogs and animals. The outside jacuzzi was a nice touch. You could actually put toilet paper in the toilets, which is a rare thing in Costa Rica! Our room was perched right over a pond, which was very nice. The food in the restaurant was good but not great. The restaurant is open to the outside air, and it can be very convenient if you want to look for birds, frogs, or animals in the trees or near the ponds.

The location is right near the dam, and fishing from near the dam is pretty good. My dad and I caught two fish each during a four-hour boat trip.

The people working there are very nice, and they speak English. They drive in golf carts and shuttle older people from restaurant to room. They come by every fifteen minutes, or you can call them and they will come much quicker.

The driveway is so long, you start to feel quite "lost" by the time you pull in. This extended driveway also goes to the Hanging Bridges.

Some of the best bird watching is right here at the resort. A Toucan or Toucans, can be seen every morning between 7:30 and 8:30 am at breakfast. You must bring your camera! On two mornings, there was even a Montezuma Oropendola visiting the feeders. Naturally, those two mornings I did not bring my camera...We even saw a Coati in the road right up the hill from the reception desk. One of our highlights was hiking on some of the resort's private trails and crossing the creeks on the bridges. After mistiming our trip to the Hanging Bridges and getting caught in crowds of people, (hint, don't go mid morning) it was a relief to hike for hours on the Lost Iguana's trails and not see another person the whole time! There is much more to do around Arenal Volcano than the Pacific Coast area. Don't miss taking the Tram ride and zip lines. The Tram people picked my wife and I up at the reception desk, and dropped us back off at the resort. Be sure to book a hike or float trip with a naturalist through the resort. If you're into nature, birds, and animals, this is the place to stay! Here is a well earned tip of the hat to Alex at the reception desk, he was our "Rock of Gibraltar" during our 5 night visit.

I have stayed at the Lost Iguana before and it was even more lush and tranquil than I remembered! The grounds are really amazing- you are surrounded by acres of natural beauty and the rooms all have their own secluded patio with flowers that attract hummingbirds, you can hear the sound of the insects, birds and monkeys late afternoon and early in the morning- beats an alarm clock to wake up to! We even saw a pair of toucans that ate some fruit right in front of the restaurant as we ate our breakfast- unforgettable memory! Loved the meals in the restaurant and the waiters all spoke English and were so friendly and helpful. And whenever I asked for a club car to shuttle me to my room, the pool, the spa, etc., it was always prompt and a wonderful convenience. I had two massages at the spa- felt like heaven. This spot is a five star stay for a reasonable cost- I would recommend it to anyone- you won't be disappointed!

This hotel was great! The volcano was right outside our hotel and the views were amazing. We were also right next to the hanging bridges! Our room was fantastic with a whirlpool tub on the balcony and plenty of room inside! Perfect for couples! We made the right choice! This hotel is a little off the beaten path but well worth it!