I stepped out of the terminal, and the sun stung my eyes before I could reach for my shades.

The salty air slapped me in the face. "This is it," I thought, "It's finally here."

A smiling man held up a sign, called my name, and whisked me out of Cancun and down the road for 45 minutes until I arrived at my hotel in Playa Del Carmen.

I hadn't planned this vacation for long, but maaaaannnnn, did I need it. I’d moved to Mexico City after finishing my adult gap year, and wanted some time to unwind. KissNGrind in collaboration with Up In The Air Life promised to provide an exceptional experience with a beachy/LA party vibe, and I showed up to check it out and see how they delivered.

And DAMN, they delivered.

First up the hotel. I'd never heard of the Live Aqua brand so I didn't know what to expect (and ya know ya girl doesn't research, so I decided whatever happened would be okay).

I'm hungry when I arrive (of course), so I head to the rooftop pool/bar for some midday snacks. As I try to pay, the staff refuses my money. And that's how I learned the hotel is an adults-only all-inclusive.

SAY WHAT NOW???

I don't have to whip out cash for this delicious food and top-shelf drinks?

GIMME MOREEEE! I spent most of the weekend drinking a 7-year-aged Havana Club rum, so absolutely no complaints on the liquor. This isn't one of those "what the hell am I drinking?" all inclusives, this is a "WE GOT YOU" all-inclusive.

I checked out my room, and WELL DAMN (again)…I'm not even gonna describe it, just gonna give you the photos.

Time to check the schedule... up next a welcome party DJ'd by Vikter Duplaix and designed by Claire Soares. Can you say VIBEZZZ?!? A mood on a mood on a mood. We took it from the rooftop bar to the heated rooftop pool, drinking, laughing, meeting cool new peeps, and having a great time.

The next morning I ordered room service and chilled before our pool party. Y'all, they included complimentary 24-hour room service in this weekend! I N C L U D E D! They never let us get hungry, and a full Shida is a happy Shida.

Every morning they hosted a group breakfast, but you could skip it and eat room service instead - 10 points for the versatility. I love eating on my own schedule and not feeling captive to the group's plan.

Y'all, I've experienced my fair share of pools and my share of parties, but I've never experienced a better pool party. Amazing energy all around, and you can tell when these two companies combine, their guests expect a good time and their guests BRING an excellent time with them. Warm and friendly partiers, all determined to have a great time (with no drama), and all of the staff going above and beyond to take care of guest's needs.

After the pool party, there was another party! We went tequila tasting and then hung out in a local club where Vikter Duplaix took over the DJ booth and rocked the crowd. #goodtimes

One thing I heard repeatedly from guests was they didn't have to think about ANYTHING. They purchased a plane ticket, reserved their space on the trip, and the staff took care of everything. (If you attend one of these events and you can get the VIP service, you should do it. I didn't, and I missed out of consistent VIP hosts helping with local info, private dinners, tours, and bottle service at off-site parties - Don't get me wrong, the regular people's weekend amazed without the VIP service, but if you're in the mood to splurge, do it big.)

Saturday we dug into Mayan History with a trip to Chichen Itza (one of the New Seven Wonders of the World), a Cenote, and Valladolid. This deserves its own separate post, but for now, photos.

And of course, since you gotta kill it on a Saturday night, we had a white party. Now, this ain't ya average white party. We had a lavish all-white dinner, with roses and keepsakes lining the table, then took it to the rooftop to have a shake-ya-ass, grown-folks white party.

Sunday we chilled and had free time, which of course meant an impromptu pool party for some, trips to the beach and scuba diving for others, while even more people checked out some of the incredible restaurants in Playa.

One last Farewell Party on Saturday night at IT Guilty, which turned into another pool party (y'all catching the theme here?)

We filled Monday morning with meaningful goodbyes with new friends and travel buddies, lots of picture sharing, and making future plans.

If you get an opportunity to attend a KissNGrind Destinations event, or any Up In The Air Life event, I've gotta say, don't miss your chance. If you're looking for some fun in the Riviera Maya, new connections with the dopest people, and an easy breezy vacation, this trip is for you.

The hosts designed a top notch from the beginning to end and created the most spectacular group trip I've ever attended.

Have questions about the experience? Drop them in the comments below.

XO,

Shida D

If you're interested in taking a trip with Up In The Air Life, use the promo code "Roshida" for a discount off your first trip.

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Find a perfect Playa Del Carmen AirBnB

KissNGrind x Up In The Air Life - A Breathtaking Riviera Maya Event

Find a perfect Playa Del Carmen AirBnB