Royal Hideaway Playacar is an adults-only hotel of about 201 rooms, suites and villas in Playacar. Its wedding venues include the beach, gardens, sea-view terraces and ballrooms.
Royal Hideaway Playacar is small, adults-only and built around gardens that lead to the beach, which suits elegant weddings. Here is how we photograph them.
The Resort at a Glance
- HotelAdults-only, Barceló's Royal Hideaway brand, in Playacar
- SizeAbout 201 rooms, suites and villas
- VenuesBeach, gardens, sea-view terraces and ballrooms
- DiningSix restaurants
Venue names and capacities come from the resort's wedding listings and change with renovations and packages, so your coordinator's current sheet is the final word.
Where the Ceremony Happens
The hotel lists the beach, gardens, sea-view terraces and ballrooms. The terraces are our favourite at the end of the day; the gardens give green, sheltered frames on a windy afternoon.
Sunset and Light by Month
Times for this beach on the 15th of each month in 2027.
| Month | Sunrise | Golden | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:27 am | 5:57 pm | 6:28 pm |
| March | 6:57 am | 6:29 pm | 6:58 pm |
| May | 6:11 am | 6:47 pm | 7:18 pm |
| June | 6:08 am | 6:58 pm | 7:30 pm |
| July | 6:16 am | 7:01 pm | 7:32 pm |
| September | 6:36 am | 6:22 pm | 6:51 pm |
| November | 6:58 am | 5:36 pm | 6:08 pm |
| December | 7:17 am | 5:38 pm | 6:10 pm |
Playa del Carmen faces east toward Cozumel, so the sun rises over the channel and sets behind the town, leaving the beach in soft, even light at the end of the day. We plan ceremonies to start about 90 minutes before sunset, so that family photos and portraits fall in the warm last light. Mornings have a bonus: from roughly October through February, the sun comes up from behind Cozumel, across the water.
Bringing Your Own Photographer
One budget line couples often miss: Royal Hideaway Playacar, like nearly every all-inclusive resort here, charges outside wedding vendors for access to the property. It may be a fixed vendor fee or a per-person day pass, and it changes with the season and the package tier. Ask for it in writing while your contract is still open, and ask whether a second photographer counts separately. Our comparison of resort and outside photographers helps you weigh it.
Weddings in the Riviera Maya, Through Our Lens
Real IVAE Studios weddings and portraits along the Riviera Maya, so you can see how this light and water look on camera. They show our work in the area, not necessarily at Royal Hideaway Playacar.
Coverage and Prices
IVAE Studios publishes its prices. Half-day coverage of up to four hours is 1,800 to 2,800 USD, enough for the ceremony, family photos, portraits and the start of the reception. A full day of eight to ten hours with a second photographer is 3,500 to 5,500 USD, and adding a wedding film brings it to 5,500 to 8,000 USD. Every gallery is edited and delivered in a private 4K gallery within one to three business days.