Anyone who has planned a Bachelorette party knows that organization for the entire gals squad requires more than a few Whatsapp group messages, a mini veil, cheeky props and a couple of rounds of shots. A destination bachelorette is the stuff of dreams. BUT, it requires a little bit more organization. SO. All the maids-of-honors out there trying to figure out where to start…listen up! You can’t go wrong with this itinerary in sunny Playa del Carmen.
When you think bachelorette, it’s hard not to think about the film Bridesmaids. You know…the one where the bridal party gets freak food poisoning during the bouje Parisian dress fitting…the one where maid-of-honor, Annie, has a hallucinagenic episode on the flight to Vegas for the bachelorette and ends up being apprehended by a US air marshall…
Kristen Wiig’s character winds her way through the strange and expensive rituals associated with her job as the bride's go-to gal...but it’s all a hysterical car crash. The group of gals are as reckless as the guys in The Hangover. Iconic. But reckless.
Although it makes hilarious TV…any bride who had a run-up to her wedding as stressful and frenzied as the one depicted in Bridesmaids might struggle to actually make it down the aisle at the end of it. Let’s make this wedmin something you can enjoy…it’s the last fiesta fling before the ring, after all!
1. Rooftop hopping
If you’re after a chilled girls day WITHOUT the element of sand sticking to your sun blocked body, children screaming building sandcastles or waves a little too choppy that they take you out and you’re left a little bedraggled, we feel you. Sometimes the beach is a bit too much admin.
Rooftop pool bars are your new besties. Similar to a beach clubs, just with better views and a stronger breeze, Playa is most certainly a rooftop paradise, dotted with these hideaway gems above street level. But rooftops here are like pants: they fit entirely differently depending on the customer; so, if you’re going to do an all-day-rooftop-day and splash a little on cabanas and cocktails, it’s important to find the perfect fit for you and your girlies. Here are 3 of our favorites…
The Fives
📍10th Avenue & 2nd Street
💸 Rooftop day passes vary depending on the time during the week; it will be a little cheaper on weekdays than at weekends. But remember…every day in Playa is a party ;) Daypasses range from $500 MXN to $700 MXN.
Photo by The Fives
The fabulous Fives Downtown Hotel & Residences brings a sprinkling of glamour to downtown Playa del Carmen. This is a rooftop where you’ll get the best of both worlds. By day: the perfect oasis for some ultra-laid-back luxury as you bask under the Mexican sun. By night: things turn more vibrant when the sun sets, and the DJ amps up the atmosphere.
WHEN SHOULD WE GO? Up for a lively party? Every Saturday, 12-6pm, spend MX$700 per person on food and drink and enjoy live DJs all day while chilling by the luxurious infinity pool.
Thompson Hotel
📍5th Avenue and 12th Street
💸 Prices for a rooftop daypass vary depending on hotel events and hotel resident occupancy. But generally, small cabanas (max 6 guests) start from $500 USD and large cabanas (max 18 guests) $1,100 USD.
Photo by Thompson Hotels
Thompson Hotels are known globally for their modern elegance and level of luxury service. Their rooftop is merely an extension of this brilliance, boasting a block-long infinity pool with panoramic seascapes. Vibe is upscale: think VIP model afterparty. You’ll see a few expensive pairs of shades and designer swimwear here. Perhaps this rooftop would appeal to a slightly older crowd; the more urban, chic, well travelled jet-setters amongst us. No kids, that’s for sure.
The rooftop: Alessia Dayclub.
Now…they say it is the best view in all of Playa Del Carmen because it offers a 360 degree vista of the rooftops of Playa and a view over the Caribbean over to Cozumel Island. Only one way to find out! An adults-only social scene kitted out with luxe cabanas, mango margaritas and live DJs.
Who’s joining us there?
WHEN SHOULD I BOOK MY BACHELORETTE? Our top tip on this one is to go in the off-season for lower prices: high tourist season is December - February so maybe try and avoid these months. The neighboring months of high season (March/April and October/November) have guaranteed great weather but fewer crowds. Try and be flexible!
BePlaya Roof
📍10th Avenue & 26th Street
💸 $300 MXN per person, including sun bed or table, towels, access to the pool and complimentary Wi-Fi.
Photo by beplaya
A trendy spot popular with the locals, BeRoof regularly hosts the hottest international DJs. Although the pool is a fraction of the size of the two mentioned above, BePlaya Roof is perfect for cooling off and an afternoon of dancing, eating and drinking; not to mention, its surroundings are second to none. The decor is crisp, white-washed wood and reminsicent of the hippy chic look of Tulum. For all our sushi lovers out there…this one’s for you! Order from their sushi restaurant downstairs or drinks from the rooftop bar by the pool. Best part is that this rooftop is not overpriced at all, making it a chilled, more affordable option for your bachelorette entourage.
Photo by beplaya
Photo by beplaya
$$$: spending the day at a rooftop pool will cost you a little bit. BUT, the great thing is that this is usually a consumption charge, meaning you get to use the amount you spend (or a portion of it) as credit for food and drinks.
2. Rent a yacht
Your bachelorette is a sub-section of your Big Day. And your Big Day is tailored to YOU…the most personalized event of your life. Chartering a private yacht for the day with your girlfriends really gives you the most personalized experience you can get; you can customize everything to your liking from the food, drinks, and music to a tailor-made itinerary.
Snorkeling in Cozumel on the bucket list? Sure!
Want to go diving with the turtles in Isla mujeres? No problem!
Bad Bunny on the speakers? You’ve got it.
Look! This could be you…
Photo by DreamArt Photography
The great thing about chartering a yacht is that when split amongst the group, costs work out pretty low! Check out more on hiring yachts in Cozumel here!
Moreover, if you're wanting to immortalize all those memorable yacht moments, don't hesitate to hire a photographer. We love a yacht day too!
3. Party the day away at a vegas-style beach club
We’ve kept it all pretty classy so far. But…if you’re looking to crank up the crazy levels, this next one is for you.
FACT: a girls trip is medicine for the soul.
And Playa del Carmen is a party gal’s paradise…its downtown scene is a veritable adult playground buzzing with themed bars, tequilerias, open-air restaurants, and more clubs you could ever get through in one weekend; whether you’re a beachclub kind of gal, a chilled rooftop pool party lover or a hardcore clubber, there’s something that’s sure to please every type of bride-to-be. But, partying in Playa isn’t just an evening affair…beachclubs are a thriving party scene in the daylight hours and here’s one you cannot miss: Coralina Daylight Club.
At Coralina, the weather forecast is rain all weekend. Well…champagne rain.
On its website, Coralina describes itself as “A day light beach club designed as a luxurious refuge to the carefree soul…a private oasis in the caribbean sea full of energy, desire and release.” It’s giving zen vibes. But do not be fooled!
While the weekday scene is more chilled vibes, on the weekends, that’s when you girls should hit Coralina. Their instagram bio is ‘Hello Sinner, welcome to our reality’ and that sums it up pretty neatly. Not so cutesy, chilled out vibes anymore…it gets a little wilder than that, we can assure you. Pole dancers, music waves surging through your body, firey sparklers stuck in the top of every bottle of booze, people throwing shapes on table tops, streams of spirits being emptied spout to mouth in the pool…
Housekeeping rules? What are those? When the club’s swimsuit-clad go-go dancers whip out the champagne spray guns, you know it’s a next-level party scene that has bachelorette written all over it.
THE LAST OLE’ BEFORE THE BIG DAY. If you want to get your groove on, but champagne spray guns and foam parties aren’t your vibes, head to Zenzi, a beach bar right on the water; on Sundays, you can hit the dance floor for some salsa dancing and enjoy the live band who play the BEST salsa beats all night.
4. Visit a Cenote
Let’s move away from the party scene a little. Fancy a dreamy day trip?
Cenotes. Mystical freshwater pools that are formed when limestone collapses to create a natural sinkhole. Over 6000 of them dot the Yucatan peninsula. Open, cavernous, stalactites, stalagmites…they come in all shapes and sizes…Cenote Corazón del Paraíso is the coolest by far, in the shape of a…yep. You’ve guessed it. A little heart.
The perfect girls day out as there’s something for everone: snorkeling, diving, relaxing on a hammock, sprawling on the rocks and soaking up the sun, cooling off in the water…
Cenote Minotauro, Cenote Cristalino and Chikin Ha are 3 other cenote gems you have to visit.
Read more about the best cenotes near Playa del Carmen here →
5. Plan a bridal squad photoshoot
Last but not least…grab your bridal party and get ready to strike a pose! You HAVE to document your bachelorette and we’re not talking iPhone shots here…one gal always misses out and ends up behind the lens instead of infront of it. We’ve all been there. You want all your bridal squad in the frame. So? Hire a professional photographer for the day. Trust us…it’s totally worth it.
But first…let’s get glam. Why not make a whole day of it: makeover in the morning followed by photoshoot in the afternoon. Beauty On Wheels (BOW) are an agency of beauty professionals with international experience. They go wherever they are called: Cancun, Holbox, Tulum, Bacalar…you name it, they’ll get there! Their service is tailored, personal and luxury.
Fancy a bit of pampering during your bachelorette? Book a glam sesh before you get in front of that camera. Contact BOW for a flawless makeover at weddings@beautyonwheelsriviera.mx or visit their instagram or website to see these beauty gurus in action for yourself.
Now onto the main event: the photshoot. DreamArt have 15 years experience in the photography industry and let us tell you, we’ve done our fair share of bachelorettes. Let’s take a look at two of our favorites…
Kaitlin had her bachelorette at Vidanta Los Cabos and it was so much fun!
Photo by DreamArt Photography
The girls took a few pics with their hilariously brilliant mis-matching T-shirts by the pool, before stripping off to hit the beach in their swimsuits. Kaitlin’s golden BRIDE swimsuit stole the show, of course.
What a shoot!
Photo by DreamArt Photography
This next bachelorette party was held at Vidanta Riviera Maya. Isis went for matching bridal squad swimsuits for all her girls and it is a VIBE.
Clean, classy, classic. The results are truly stunning in both colour and black and white.
Photo by DreamArt Photography
If you’re a Maid of Honor or bride-to-be or who’s looking for a bachelorette photoshoot…we’ve got you! Whether its in the Riviera Maya, Los Cabos or Playa del Carmen…beachside, poolside or in the Caribbean jungle, contact us now at contact@dreamartphotography.com to book your epic bridal squad photoshoot sesh!