Cross Bali Breakers, Jimbaran Review

The Cross Bali Breakers (formerly X2 Bali Breakers) is the groovy resort we stayed at on our most recent trip to Bali and Nusa Lembongan.

It was so lovely to be back in Bali after all things COVID, and even better to see Bali coming back to life. I also found a new sense of sustainability now that hadn’t been so present on previous trips. But while many things have changed, some things will always stay the same – such as the friendliness, hospitality, and kindness of the Balinese people.

This was particularly evident during our stay at Cross Bali Breakers. While it will certainly take more time for the tourism and hospitality to get back to normal, our stay at Cross Bali Breakers had everything we needed. The ability to relax by the pool, eat good food and drink yummy cocktails and milkshakes, get a restful night’s sleep, and connect with each other as a family.

So if you’re looking for somewhere cool that has a luxe resort vibe without being too big, keep reading!

Note: This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a booking, I earn a small commission at no cost to you.

Where is Cross Bali Breakers?

You’ll find Cross Bali Breakers in Jimbaran, which is on the north-west side of the Bukit Peninsula (the Southern area of Bali).

The location is great – just a five-minute drive to Balangan Beach. Balangan is one of Bali’s most famous surf breaks, and has some really awesome bars and restaurants too. We had dinner one night at Mazu Beach Club, which was so fun.

From Denpasar airport, Cross Bali Breakers is about a 30-40 minute drive, depending on traffic. Our drivers knew all sorts of fun (but sometimes bumpy!) shortcuts to avoid the bulk of the traffic.

When looking at a map of Bali, you’ll notice Jimbaran Beach. This is a great strip where all the seafood restaurants are, and is an excellent idea for a night out. However, Jimbaran as a district extends further south than the beach. It’s about a 20-minute drive to this strip from Cross Bali Breakers (again, depending on traffic).

Facilities at Cross Bali Breakers

Pools

There are two swimming pools at Cross Bali Breakers (aside from the individual plunge pools in each villa, of course). Up by the main building is the large pool, which features day beds, sun loungers, and bean bags. It also has a swim up bar, however this was not in use while we were there due to occupancy/staff rates (see below for more information on this). This didn’t really bother us though, as the staff were really attentive and brought us drinks by the pool anyway. (Also, the actual bar is about five metres from the pool, so it’s not a big drama!)

Down at the back of the resort near the spa is a serenity pool. This one is much quieter, and its shape is great for swimming laps. It’s also next to the outdoor gym so it makes sense this would be good for exercising.

Gym and Fitness

Down at the back of the resort next to the serenity pool is a CrossFit-inspired outdoor gym. You won’t find treadmills or other electronic equipment here; rather it’s for weight and resistance training as well as cardio.

On the other side of the serenity pool is a lawned area, where morning yoga classes are held.

A couple of times a week, Aqua Zumba is held in the main pool (I had fun with this one!). Make sure you ask the staff for a fitness timetable.

Spa

During our stay, many others were on a package deal from Luxury Escapes. This included spa treatments. By the time I got round to booking a treatment myself, there were no free slots before I was due to depart. So unfortunately I missed out!

However, several people I spoke to in the resort raved about the spa treatments they had. Some had fairly quick 30-minute or one-hour hassages, while others had multi-hour pamper packages. Everyone reported coming out completely rejuvenated.

(As for me, I got a cheapie massage down the road. It worked wonders, but it definitely wasn’t luxurious.)

Rooms at the Cross Bali Breakers

All rooms at Cross Bali Breakers are actually villas with their own plunge pool, which is super cool. There are one-bedroom and two-bedroom options.

We had a two-bedroom villa. What’s important to note is the set-up – as you walk in, there’s a covered outdoor area with a lounge and TV, and a dining table and chairs. In the middle is a plunge pool with sun loungers, and on the other side is the bedrooms. The thing about this is that both bedrooms open up straight onto the pool. This is lovely for adults, but not really ideal for kids (this wouldn’t be allowed in Australia, but building codes are different in Indonesia!)

To get around this, we locked their door at night and brought our old baby monitor with us. The thing hadn’t been used in years, but we were so glad we still had it! We also established a “secret knock” which the kids found lots of fun. They knocked on the wall that separated our rooms each morning when they woke up, or when they needed to tell us something. I felt they were old enough to probably be fine, but in the off chance they were sleepwalking or something, we didn’t want to take the risk.

The beds were divine. Sometimes beds throughout Asia can be a bit firm for my taste, but these were perfect. The bedding had a high thread count and everything was so soft – sometimes I didn’t want to get out of bed, even though I was excited to start the day!

International sockets for every power outlet meant there was no stress about using appliances from home (such as the baby monitor we brought along, or my hair straightener).

The TV is analog. They had Discovery Channel and HBO Movies in English, but all other channels were in Indonesian. They did have Nickelodeon for the kids, but the programming was dubbed into Indonesian. This wasn’t really much of a problem for us as the kids didn’t really watch TV. We would lie in bed and wind down by watching a couple of shows on Discovery, and this was great.

I really loved the bath – it’s really deep with a cushioned headrest. Bath salts next to the bath were a beautiful touch too. Water pressure in the shower was lovely too. However, getting enough hot water wasn’t always possible – this was a common problem everywhere throughout our trip and I’m not entirely sure what the explanation is.

The internet was very patchy in our villa – in one room we couldn’t access it at all. However, we had an Indonesian SIM Card and this didn’t get service either. So I think this may have been more an issue of being down in a valley than an issue with the resort’s WiFi. We were able to get service at reception and up on the road into the hotel.

Food at the Cross Bali Breakers

Our rate included breakfast which was really handy. Some others at the resort had booked a package through Luxury Escapes, which also included either lunch or dinner, and cocktails from 4-6pm each night. We thought that was a pretty sweet deal!

Breakfast was the usual resort buffet style, with an egg and pancake station as well. The offerings were great – from Western-style bacon and breakfast sausages, to Indonesian-style noodles, meats, and vegetables. There were also plenty of sweet and savoury continental options (pastries, cereals, cold meats, cheeses, and fruits). We also loved the yoghurt fridge – aside from various flavoured yoghurts, we could try all manner of traditional Indonesian sweets from here as well.

On our first night at Cross Bali Breakers, they hosted an Indonesian-style Barbecue. It was all you can eat and featured all sorts of meats including seafood. Kids under five eat free, but they very generously didn’t charge us for our five and seven-year-olds! Cross Bali Breakers holds these barbecues, or other themed buffet dinners, every Wednesday night.

We also enjoyed several lunches and dinners by the pool (and room service one night after a big day). The meals were your standard resort fare – completely acceptable and hitting the spot, but not particularly special. The offerings are perfect for a burger by the pool with a Bintang, and they served a decent Beef Rendang, but to experience more delicious Indonesian food or some more variety, try some other restaurants close by.

One thing I should definitely mention here is the staff. They all remembered our names instantly, especially the kids’ names. In the mornings they also remembered our coffee orders.

Post-COVID issues

We definitely encountered little niggles here and there with things not working, but staff always tried to have them fixed.

At the time of our stay, Bali was only allowing 50% occupancy in hotels as a COVID precaution. This, coupled with the fact tourists haven’t been coming for two years, might explain why these niggles occur. The thing we all need to remember is that it’s going to take time for the travel industry to get back to pre-COVID efficiency (if it ever does!). Hotels are under a lot of pressure to re-hire and re-train staff, and some of the infrastructure will likely need some fixing up too. So I think it’s really important to mention this and implore all travellers to be patient, kind, and understanding with staff when these little niggles happen. No matter where you stay, things aren’t going to be quite perfect. And honestly, that’s part of travel!

Ready to head to Bali? Book your stay at the Cross Bali Breakers now!

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