Oh, no, millie - did you guys see it from anywhere else or do a night hike or anything? We've seen it every time we've stayed there.

traveler2005 - I'm glad to hear that about the food at AOL, we'll be there in July and it's nice to hear a positive dining review! I'm sure we'll get out to town for some meals, but I was getting a bit discouraged about so much negative feedback about the restaurant!

millie - too bad about the lava at Lost Iguana! Has the lava flow totally shifted or was it just not flowing at all while you were there? I hope you had a great trip otherwise!

We had a fabulous time and I want to take my boys now. I really am going to write a trip report because everyone here was so helpful and I got so much great information I could not have got anywhere else.

The lava flow apparently has shifted a bit. We were scheduled for a night hike the night we got in but had a mix up with the guide. It was the only time we could have done it. We saw a couple at Eco Termales we had met in Tortuguero and they saw the flow from the bridge going up to AOL. It was around the time we had dinner reservations on our remaining nights so unfortunately we missed it. We did drive up the AOL road after dinner but saw notheing. If lava is what you want to see you would likely have to camp out at the bridge or stay at AOL. Personally because we had a car and like to get around spontaneously the road to AOL would be a detrement to me staying there. The road was unbelievable. I will write about my thoughts on the roads when I report.

Glad you guys had fun. Honestly I wouldn't pick my hotel based on the availability to see the lava flow - it may not flow or the volcano may be surrounded by fog during the entire trip. We got a pouring rain during our volcano hike. Wish Arenal would cooperate a little more! I wonder why they don't pave the road to AOL?

VG, probably for the same reason they haven't paved the road to Monteverde :)

Or Rio Celeste or Cano Negro. It is crazy.

So true - All part of the adventure I guess!

We just got back from a trip to CR and stayed at AOL. Personally, after driving all the way from SJO, I didn't think the road to AOL was that bad. Before the gate the road is gravel but mainly straight. This is the same road you have to travel if you plan to go to the park to see the 1992 lava flow or Arenal 1968. Past the gate to AOL it is paved in sections and no worse than the road to the LI in my opinion. Of course, we spent a day driving around the north side of the lake and trying to get to Venado from there and THOSE roads are bad, which makes the road to AOL seem like a hwy. The road north to Venado was similar to a farmer's tractor trail to the back 40, or as my husband said, an ATV trail. The road to the LI is paved with bricks but just as winding and steep as the one to AOL.
As for view, we did see rocks rolling down Arenal during the day. Our first full day was so cloudy you couldn't even tell there was a volcano. The second day you could see the base and in the middle of the night you could see some flow through the clouds. If you are lucky, as we were on the last day, the clouds will completely clear and you can see the top and the flow at night. So I agree with V-girl on that one, about it being a gamble to choose based on a view you may not have.
We enjoyed AOL, but if you want more comfort and "higher class" rooms, LI would be a better bet. Our room at AOL was clean, but not fancy. If you don't want to be out in the rain, you may be at the hotel alot so choose one you wouldn't mind being at. It rained every day we were there, sometimes hard, sometimes just a sprinkle. It would rain, stop, rain, stop, ect. so everything was wet all the time. Even our quick-dry Tevas stayed soaked the entire time.