Top 3 Live Music Spots in Playa del Carmen

Posted on January 27, 2014 by Sarah

Playa del Carmen is the perfect place to enjoy live music. Every night of the week, local musicians are playing around town to bring you a great selection of music styles for all ages and tastes. Whether you like classic rock, folk, soul or mariachi, there is a live music spot for you to enjoy.

1. Indigo Beach Club

Our very own Indigo Beach Club is one of Playa del Carmen’s most beloved live music venues. What better way to spent a balmy evening than under swaying palm trees with a cold drink in hand, listening to some of your favorite tunes played by a top local band?

On Sunday evenings, Indigo plays host to some great live acts who focus on laid back rock ‘n roll to match your mood. While local families fish off the pier and children run around the beach, Indigo serves up delicious signature cocktails, local and international beers and fine wines in an idyllic setting on the Caribbean.

2. Kitxen Bar

Located on Fifth Avenue just around the corner from your Condo Hotel near Avenida Constituyentes, Kitxen is a live music institution for up and coming local artists. The open sided bar is a much loved venue for locals and tourists alike, and even if you don’t go in for a drink, you can pull up a bench on Fifth Avenue and absorb the lively evening atmosphere along with some well-loved covers.

3. Local restaurants

Local restaurants around Playa del Carmen are great places to hear live music. Mexican acts tour the popular local spots around town, performing a few songs then passing the hat for a small tip.

One of my favourite acts is a Cuban three-piece who sets up their drum at the front of several local restaurants, bringing the whole place together with their rhythmic drumming and distinct Cuban beat. It’s like the Buena Vista Social Club – only it’s more like the Playa del Carmen Social Club!

It adds a lively atmosphere and unique cultural flavor to the evening when a mariachi, folk or Cuban band stops by your restaurant to perform. And just another reason why Playa del Carmen is known for its colorful cultural performances.

Of course, you only need to step out your door and onto the street to experience live music in Playa del Carmen. The streets are teeming with local acts performing all over town every night of the year. Of course, certain times of year are more musical than others, with the Riviera Maya Jazz festival in November and the BPM electronic music festival in early January.

No matter what your musical leanings, there is a genre of live music in Playa del Carmen to suit you. So sit back, relax and enjoy the show!

Ring in the new year at Indigo Beach Club!

Posted on December 30, 2013 by Sarah

If you are joining us at one of our five Condo Hotel properties this new year’s eve, rest assured that we are bringing the party of the year to you! Every year, Indigo Beach Club hosts a fabulous event, and this year’s party shaping up to be their best yet.

What better way to say “adios” to 2013 and “hola” to 2014 than a fiesta on the shores of the Caribbean? Feast on a lavish buffet of delectable European inspired cuisine and salsa the night away to Latin rhythms provided by Indigo’s resident DJ and live musical acts.

It’s going to be a new year to remember, although the open bar means you may have some trouble doing that. Never fear! The staff at Indigo will ensure top notch service throughout the night, and since you are just a short stroll away from your luxurious condo, there’s no hassle getting home.

Let us take the stress out of your new year’s celebrations this year. Located on the white sand beach in front of the El Taj, Indigo Beach Club is European chic meets laid back Caribbean style.

Kick off your heels and party the night away under the stars while the palm trees sway along in the breeze.

Meet friends, discover new ones and let all your cares and stresses of the busy year be carried away by the Caribbean Sea.

Indigo’s parties have a reputation for being the place to be in Playa del Carmen and they have had great success with new year celebrations in previous years.

On New Year’s Day, there is no better place to relax and recover than on the plush sun beds at Indigo. Over a delicious nutritious breakfast of fresh fruit, pastries, eggs, juice, coffee and more, you’ll feel like a million dollars in no time.

A dip in the sparkling Caribbean Sea is the best way to shake off the previous night’s indulgences and welcome in a brand new year, refreshed and invigorated.

With just a few days to go, secure your place at the hottest event in town, and send off 2013 with a bang!

Living the High Life at Porto Playa

Posted on September 9, 2013 by Sarah

I recently had the pleasure of staying in one of the two bedroom penthouses at Porto Playa condos, and experienced what living the high life was all about! My sister was visiting Playa del Carmen from the states and I wanted her to experience the best of this town I have come to love so much.

Upon entering the glass doors of the apartment, we were immediately struck by the stylish yet earthy design, influenced by Mayan culture. There is definitely something unique about Condo Hotels, an attention to detail which simply isn’t found at large all-inclusive resorts catering to droves of tourists.

Porto Playa certainly felt like a ‘home away from home’ for us as we made the most of the luxury and comfort of our suite. Soft, pillow top beds, natural bath products and marble flooring throughout created a welcoming oasis after days spent shopping and beach hopping in Playa del Carmen.

And then there was the view! Overlooking the pool, we kept an eye on the sun and planned our day around sunbathing and relaxing by the deep blue cascading infinity pool. My sister loved the in-built lounge chairs for relaxing in the cool, clear water. Having seen all of the condo hotel pools now, I think that the pool at Porto Playa is now my favorite.

Relaxing…

Surrounded by lush green gardens, it feels like a jungle paradise with a decidedly tropical feel, and the elevated position provides excellent views of the surrounding area.

Love this pool!

Our evenings were spent grilling on our own private roof terrace, then simmering in the private jacuzzi under the moon-lit sky. Screens of green plants provided total seclusion, making us feel like the only ones in the place!

Private terrace with BBQ and Jacuzzi…

The enormous space we had to utilize during our stay made us not want to leave the condo, and instead just enjoy all the facilities on offer. We did, however, tear ourselves away on occasion to relax on soft lounges at the nearby Indigo beach club and listen to the gentle waves lap the sandy shore.

Chilling at Indigo beach club…

After exploring the great restaurants around town for dinner, we would return home to watch a movie on the flat screen television in the living room before retiring to our comfy beds where we slept soundly each night.

Life at Porto Playa was very easy to get used to, so when it came time to leave the luxury and comfort of our penthouse, we couldn’t help but be a little sad. We had experienced what it was like to live the high life, so returning to normal life wouldn’t be easy, but we had created special memories to last a lifetime and knew that someday we would return.

Memories of Porto Playa condos…

Sunday Bliss at El Taj and Indigo

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Sarah

We awoke to a blazing blue sky on Sunday morning at El Taj Oceanfront and immediately knew it was going to be a great day. Though every day in Playa del Carmen seems like a weekend, Sundays have a special feeling of relaxation; a chance to completely unwind before the week ahead. First though, we had a few dilemmas to face in regards to how we would spend the day…

After waking up in our deluxe King bed clothed in high thread count linen,

Perhaps we’d brew a pot of delicious strong coffee in our fully appointed chef’s kitchen?

Then sip it on the terrace overlooking the pool, lush gardens and Caribbean Sea?

Or head to Imprevist restaurant to indulge in a gourmet breakfast of pastries, fruit, yogurt and eggs?

After breakfast, maybe we’d relax in the infinity Jacuzzi perched over the main pool like an overflowing champagne fountain?

Or simply chill out on our private terrace, taking in the view of the stunning Caribbean sea, streaked with ten different shades of blue…

Perhaps a soak in our private, heated Jacuzzi, relaxing our muscles against the massaging jets would be in order?

Then maybe we would spend the afternoon with a good book under one of the umbrellas at Indigo beach club, listening to the waves lap against the shore and watching pelicans soar overhead…

Later, we could make use of the complimentary ‘Manager’s Welcome Party’ buffet at Indigo, while sipping on fruity cocktails and listening to the live tunes of the resident band.

Then walk along the pier in our ‘front yard’ and watch local families haul shiny silver fish from the water with nets.

Perhaps we’ll stop on the pier for a while, watching the sun set over our ‘home away from home’, El Taj, wishing we could stay forever in this Caribbean paradise…

Then make our way back to the comfy lounges at Indigo, singing along to old favorites as the beach turns black and the palm trees are illuminated with golden light.

Afterwards, maybe we’d retire to the luxurious comfort of our condo to watch a movie on one of our three flat screen televisions, lounging on the spacious modular sofa with a large bowl of pop corn…

With so many options, how would we possibly choose how to spend our Sunday at El Taj?

By doing them all of course!

So that’s exactly what we did, experiencing a day of food, music, sun, relaxation and pure bliss; the perfect Sunday at El Taj Oceanfront and Indigo beach club.

I’m already dreaming of next Sunday…

Yoga on the Beach: A Perfect Start to the Day

Posted on April 15, 2013 by Sarah

I was thrilled to learn that beach-front yoga classes were being held on Saturday mornings at the El Taj Oceanfront. Not only was I spoiled for choice by the fifteen classes of yoga per week in The Gym, but I now had the option of doing yoga on the shore of the Caribbean Sea!

As I walked through the Indigo Beach club past the huge white Buddha statue, I saw the teacher and my classmates gathering together on the sand to begin the lesson.

“A very fitting setting for yoga,” I thought to myself as I breathed in the salty scent of the ocean which gently lapped against the white sand.

Sam, the teacher introduced himself and we positioned ourselves on the sand. No yoga mats were required, we would be going ‘el naturale’ for this beach front yoga class!

Sam began the class by giving us a small reading from the Mayan calendar, which he studies daily. Apparently the Mayans used many different types of calendars to assist them in their ritualistic lives, and today some Mexican people study the calendars for insights which guide them in modern life also.

I liked the idea of starting the class with some ancient Mayan wisdom. Yoga is an ancient spiritual practice originating in India, so the Mayan aspect to the class was a new addition for me. Sam assured us that it was still traditional yoga, just with a shift in focus towards ancient Mayan wisdom.

It sounded wonderful; practicing yoga on the shores of the Mayan Riviera, whilst learning a little about the ancient culture of the area. The word ‘Yoga’ means union, of the body, mind and spirit, so with my feet buried in the sand, I closed my eyes and listened to Sam’s words of ancient wisdom, breathing slowly and deeply, connecting to the moment.

Most of the class was carried out on our feet, through a variety of standing postures such as ‘tree’ and triangle’ poses. Toward the end of the class, however, we made our way down to the sand for the sitting postures. It was certainly different doing yoga in the sand, and not on a mat inside a studio, but with the beautiful Caribbean sea to rinse off in afterwards, I wasn’t too worried about having it on my skin!

Triangle pose!

For the last five minutes of the one hour class, we lay back on the sand in ‘shavasana’ pose, or ‘corpse’ pose, for relaxation. Being early in the morning, the fine sand was still cool to touch, and provided a soft natural surface to completely relax in.

Through my almost-closed eyes, I saw a flock of pelicans soar overhead in an arrow formation, in perfect unison with each other. I wondered how they instinctively knew exactly what to do and where to go.

“They just do,” I thought to myself. Returning my focus to my breath, I closed my eyes, falling into a deeply relaxed state.

I was very grateful for the wisdom of two ancient cultures coming together on the shores of the Caribbean sea; allowing me to begin my day in a peaceful, centered state – the perfect way to start any day.

Namaste!

*There are yoga classes on the beach every Saturday morning at 8 AM. There are Tai Chi classes at 8 AM Sundays, and all classes are complimentary for all Condo hotel guests.

Aquatone at El Taj: Working Out in Style

Posted on April 1, 2013 by Sarah

There’s nothing like a little glamour to encourage me to exercise, which is exactly why I attended my first Aquatone class at the luxurious El Taj Condo Hotel on Friday morning. Surrounded by tropical gardens and presided over by two standing Buddha statues, the gorgeous beach-front pool seemed like the perfect place to work out in style.

I have to admit, before starting the class I thought it would be a breeze. I mean, how much of a workout can you really have in a gorgeous Balinese-style pool? For me, the word ‘workout’ conjures images of sweaty repetitions and bulky gym equipment, not floating around in a tropical paradise.

I joined several other ladies and a couple of men in the crystal clear waters to begin the class which began at 10 AM. Our instructor Melissa started with some slow shoulder rolls to get us loosened up.

Then as the sound of the waves faded against the uplifting soundtrack, we started picking up the pace.

“Hey, this is pretty tough!” I thought to myself as I moved my arms and legs through the water, trying to keep up with Melissa’s coordinated moves.

I found it hard to keep my feet on the floor – I kept floating up as my arms moved through the water – and had to work on stabilizing my core to stop myself from floating away!

Melissa demonstrated every move from outside the pool, encouraging us to “be aggressive” and push ourselves harder. I felt my muscles burn as we lifted our knees, ran on the spot as fast as we could, and ‘frog jumped’ up and down the pool.

It was quite a tough workout after all!

As I looked around at the faces of my class-mates through the splashes made by our moving limbs, they were all smiling and laughing, which encouraged me to loosen up and enjoy the watery workout. So I kept moving, and kept smiling.

I felt rather uncoordinated under the water as though I was moving through jello or walking on the moon, but I knew it was just the water providing my muscles with the resistance necessary to build strength and stamina.

And I could certainly do with some of that!

Melissa encouraged us to use the water to our advantage and move against it deliberately and powerfully. I felt my heart rate increase and was very grateful to be surrounded by the pool’s cooling embrace, unlike poor Melissa who was having a much warmer workout on the pool’s edge.

We began some slower stretching as the class started to wind down. Waves crashed onto the nearby shore and water trickled down from the ‘infinity Jacuzzi’ perched above a tiled feature wall at the end of the pool. It was definitely the most beautiful setting for a workout I had ever experienced, and I was actually a little sad when the class came to an end.

After a healthy breakfast of fresh fruit salad I secured my sunbed for the morning at Indigo Beach Club. A light breeze flowed in from the turquoise Caribbean Sea as birds glided across the clear-blue sky above me. Just in front, fishing boats bobbed around gently on their moorings, having recently returned with the morning’s catch.

I thought to myself, “Yes, Aquatone at El Taj is definitely the kind of workout I could get used to.”

*Aquatone classes are at 10 am Monday, Wednesday and Friday and are complimentary for all Condo Hotel guests, as are all the classes and facilities of The Gym fitness center nearby*

Playa Del Carmen :: Your Premier Vacation Destination

Tag Archives: Indigo Beach Club