For a lively day with a pool and a DJ, Mamita's Beach Club is the one, and it is a three-minute walk from our building. For a relaxed family lunch with no entrance fee, pick Lido. For seafood with your toes in the sand, pick Así. And for a party day with fish tacos and ceviche, go north to Martina on Playa Pelícanos. Which one fits depends less on the beach than on who is in your group, so here is how we would choose.
Lido and Así are beachfront restaurants more than clubs with pools and beds, which is exactly why some groups prefer them. All four are walkable from Aldea Thai. Walk times are our estimates from the building's gate, and ratings are Google scores we read in October 2026. Prices change, so treat anything with a number as approximate and confirm it with the club.
The short version
- Mamita's: 3 minutes. Loud, social, pools. Best for groups who want a full beach day.
- Lido: 10 minutes. Relaxed, restaurant first. Best for families and long lunches.
- Así Beachfront Restaurant: 10 minutes. Seafood on the sand. Best for a lunch stop.
- Martina Beach Club: 16 minutes. Party atmosphere. Best for friends celebrating.
Mamita's Beach Club: the full beach day
Mamita's sits at the end of Calle 28, right next to our building, about a 3-minute walk. A June 2026 guide describes a lively club with a daily DJ set at the VIP pool and a quieter family pool, open from about 8:30 am to 6 pm. It lists the adult day pass at about USD 50, usable toward food and drinks, and says it is better for dancers and party-goers than for people who want quiet. A second guide notes that daybeds work on a minimum spend that has to be confirmed with the club, and recommends booking ahead in high season.
Our own advice is to ask about the day pass when you arrive, because the food and drink credit is the point. Google shows about 4.3 from some 16,800 reviews. Go on a weekday morning if you want it calmer, and expect afternoons and weekends to be louder.
Lido: the relaxed lunch on the sand
Lido is a palapa restaurant and bar on the beach, about 10 minutes away, inside Hotel Colibri Beach. There is no entrance fee, and you pay as you order. The venue lists breakfast from 8 am, lunch, dinner and drinks until 11 pm, and says there is live music Thursday to Sunday. Beach chairs are limited, and the sand area has shrunk with erosion, so think of it as a restaurant with a beach view, and plan a long lunch rather than a full beach day.
For a main dish and a drink, we estimate about MXN 400 to 800 per person based on the menu, and a guide puts it around MXN 400 to 600. Google shows 4.6 from about 3,000 reviews. One note: Playa del Carmen's beach faces east, so you get a sunrise, not a sunset. Our Lido page has the details.
Así Beachfront Restaurant: seafood at the water
Así is a beachfront restaurant next to El Taj on Calle 14, about 10 minutes away. My tip: try the spicy jalapeño margarita. Google shows 4.7 from about 960 reviews. It is a good fit for a group that wants a proper meal at a table by the water rather than a lounge chair. Call ahead and ask about space for ten. See the Así page.
Martina Beach Club: the party day, with good tacos
Martina is on Playa Pelícanos at Calle 44 Norte, about a 16-minute walk north of us, or a short taxi ride. My advice is to go for the fish tacos and the ceviche. The June 2026 guide describes a party atmosphere, likened to a day club, with loud dance music, an adult day pass of about USD 50 credited toward food and drinks, and hours of 8 am to 6 pm that start later on Wednesdays. It adds that this is not the place for pure relaxation, and its comparison table does not mark Martina as family friendly. Google shows 4.3 from about 5,000 reviews. If your group is celebrating something, this is the one. See the Martina page.
What to ask before you go
- Is there a day pass, and what does it include? A credit toward food and drinks is different from entry only.
- Is there a minimum spend for beds? Ask in advance for a group, and get the number in writing or by message.
- How loud is it today? DJ sets and weekends change the whole feeling.
- Is the pool open to children? The June 2026 guide says Mamita's has a family pool and Lido is family friendly.
- What is the sargassum situation? Clubs with pools give you an option when the sea is not at its best. Our month-by-month guide shows the usual seasons.
Booking for a group of 10
Call or message ahead, and say the size of your group clearly. If you would like help, the team can reserve restaurants, bars and beach clubs for you. Services like that are arranged separately, and you can message us for details.
A simple plan for a group like yours: start at Mamita's on a weekday, let the kids use the pool, eat a late lunch at Lido, and finish with dinner on 5th Avenue. Our list of places to eat near Mamitas Beach can fill in the evening. And on days when everyone is tired of sand, the rooftop pool is an elevator ride and a few steps away.