Le Méridien Bali Jimbaran is a very pleasant hotel that is ideal for solo travelers and families who want a certain level of quality without breaking the bank. It is a small haven of peace, isolated from the hustle and bustle outside, and well located, although it lacks a few things to really win me over.

For this trip to Bali, I wanted to try a hotel I hadn’t been to before, before settling into the Laguna, a property that is particularly important to me. So I chose this Méridien, which offers excellent value for money and which I hadn’t been to before.

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Booking

I booked a classic room with a garden view several months before my stay. I checked back several times to see how the rates were changing and noticed a price drop a few weeks before the start of my trip. I canceled and rebooked at a rate of $124 per night.

In the days leading up to my arrival, I will check availability to confirm that the hotel is now fully booked. Therefore, there is no need to expect any kind of upgrade.

Location

As its name suggests, it is located in Jimbaran. This seaside resort in southern Bali is renowned for its sandy beaches, sunsets, and seaside seafood restaurants. Less lively than Kuta or Seminyak, it offers a peaceful atmosphere, ideal for couples and families. There are many luxury resorts, as well as easy access to cultural sites such as the Uluwatu Temple.

Jimbaran is also close to the airport, which is a big advantage given the traffic in Bali, even if it’s definitely not one of the most picturesque places on the island. Let’s just say it’s a good first stop when you arrive tired from a long trip and don’t want to cross the island to get to your hotel on your first day.

Check-in and arrival at the hotel

I tried to check in online the day before, but the feature wasn’t available. However, to my surprise, I found that I had been upgraded to an “aqua pool sky penthouse suite.” They must have been so full that they had to release rooms that weren’t normally eligible for upgrades in order to accommodate elite guests and free up cheaper rooms.

It’s not the largest suite in the hotel, but it must be the second or third highest category, which is nice.

The driver drops me off in front of the hotel and a bellman takes my suitcase to my room and accompanies me to check in upstairs.

It is open to the outside, blending Balinese tradition with a resolutely modern decor to remain true to the brand’s spirit.

Check-in went very smoothly with very friendly staff, the loyalty program protocol ran smoothly, and I headed to my room after enjoying a welcome cocktail.

I’ll take this opportunity to show you around.

It’s actually a small, compact resort with three-story buildings arranged around a large swimming pool.

The rooms on the ground floor offer direct access to the pool.

However, those at the rear overlook the garden.

I am staying on the third floor.

The room

I go through a first door and find myself in front of a second door and a staircase.

I go through the second door and find myself in the entrance hall.

On the right is a large dressing room that leads to the bathroom.

The bathroom is pretty and spacious. A single sink.

A large bathtub…

And a huge shower…

Nothing to say, it’s beautiful and comfortable.

Now let’s head to the bedroom.

The decor is modern with a few minimal local touches.

The bed is large and very comfortable.

There is also a large desk, which I particularly appreciate.

There is also a very pleasant little lounge area.

And finally, a small balcony.

From there, I have a beautiful view of the resort.

That’s it for the bedroom, but we still need to see where the staircase in the hallway leads.

I also have access to a very large private rooftop terrace. The furniture is a little worn and not particularly stylish, but it’s still acceptable.

I also have my own swimming pool.

And, of course, the same view as from the bedroom, only a little better.

A very nice room, especially for one person, and I will particularly appreciate the rooftop when the pool area is too busy or noisy.

Let’s end with the usual video.

The facilities

The hotel does not have a beach but is close to a public beach, just across the street.

As you have seen, it has a large saltwater pool that looks like a lagoon.

I won’t be using it because it’s very busy and noisy at certain times, but as I have my own pool, the question of whether or not to make the effort was quickly answered.

Children have a swimming pool that is just the right size for them.

There is also a gym, which is adequate but nothing special.

Finally, there is a spa offering treatments, but I haven’t tried it.

Restaurants and bars

The hotel has 3 bars.

The first one is by the pool, and I haven’t been there.

A second one is on the rooftop and only opens in the evening. Depending on the time of day, I found it either completely empty or packed.

You can see beautiful sunsets there.

The staff were really lovely, and the atmosphere was somewhere between calm and very lively and noisy.

As for the products, they are very good, but don’t expect miracles: the place is designed for vacationers looking to have a good time, not for fans of overly sophisticated cocktail bars.

There is another bar on the floor below, but it will be closed during my stay and, frankly, doesn’t look very appealing.

There is also a restaurant that mainly serves local cuisine.

It’s good, very affordable, but, logically, it’s more filling than gourmet.

Overall, a decent offering that does the job but nothing exceptional. A little more variety would have been welcome, but it’s true that there are many other properties within walking distance of the hotel that may be preferred by guests.

Check-out

I check out online on my phone and head to the Laguna.

Later that day, I was bombarded with WhatsApp messages asking me first to vacate the room (even though I had done so several hours earlier) and then to pay. This isn’t the first time in Asia that a hotel has failed to understand how “mobile check-out” works.

At that very moment, I was talking to one of the managers at the Laguna, who noticed my track record at the hotel and offered to show me around the recently renovated property. I explained the situation to her, and she replied that many of the poorly trained staff did not understand that everything was done online and that payment was automatic, and that it was not really part of their culture. She offered to call them to “explain their job to them.” After a five-minute conversation with one of the hotel managers, she apologized on his behalf, saying that he would make sure I wasn’t charged twice. He was clearly embarrassed that the management of another hotel had intervened to stop a customer from being harassed.

Service

Very pleasant staff and good service, except during check-out.

Bottom line

A really good hotel for the price. I could have done without the small size of the property and the resulting lack of privacy, the absence of a beach or a proper spa, and the lack of variety in the restaurants, but that’s to be expected given its location. If you want something better, you have to upgrade and pay more, which is what I did.

But a solid hotel for those who want to stay in this part of the island without any unpleasant surprises in this price range.

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