In bride world, there are two types of bachelorette parties. There's the traditional bachelorette, complete with strippers, penis straws, and inevitable hangovers, and then there's what I like to call the "relaxorette." The relaxorette swaps late nights
for slow mornings, with less emphasis on partying and more emphasis on lounging. Of course, there's a time and place for both, but for me and my chronic hangover anxiety, a relaxorette was the move.
The morning of my relaxorette travel day, however, was anything but relaxing: We were met with a five-hour flight delay, a forecast predicting rain all weekend, and, as a final gift from the travel gods, my suitcase was nowhere to be found when we landed.
And yet, the second we pulled into our stay at Bungalows Key Largo, none of that seemed to matter. We may have gotten there hours later than planned, and I may have had nothing to unpack but the lost-luggage receipt in my pocket, but entering the palm-tree lined South Florida resort was exactly the cure I needed. My relaxorette had officially commenced.
Finding the Perfect Location For a Relaxorette
When I thought about where I wanted my relaxorette to be, I knew I wanted it to be by the water. There's nothing more relaxing than lounging by the pool or ocean. But I also wanted the relaxorette to be easy for everyone. I wanted to find somewhere domestic, since international travel can be expensive, and I also wanted an all-inclusive option that could help mitigate the chaos of splitting bills and organizing activities — arguably some of the more tedious aspects of group travel.
Because the US isn't exactly known for their all-inclusive offerings, I didn't think I'd have much luck. But then, I found Bungalows Key Largo (starting rate $1,199), one of the only all-inclusive and adults-only resorts in the US located in the Florida Keys.
At Bungalows Key Largo, I learned most everything is covered under the all-inclusive package, including food and drinks, water activities, and fitness access. Plus, it was giving tropical vacation without the international price travel. I was sold.
Getting to My Relaxorette
Bungalows Key Largo is located about 63 miles away from Miami International Airport and 87 miles away from the one in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Because I didn't want to be driving on my relaxorette or stuck in the back of a smooshed Uber on the way to the resort, I used Blacklane to organize our transportation to and from the hotel. Blacklane is an app just like Uber that offers private chauffeur services, but it feels way more personal and nice.
In the app, all I had to do was fill out my transportation details, and the rest was handled. I could even put in my flight details so the driver could know if my flight was delayed, which was helpful for my group when we arrived five hours later than expected. Communicating with our driver after a horrible travel day was easy in the app, and they were ready to pick us up immediately to kick off the relaxorette by loading up our luggage and offering us water.
Once we got to Bungalow Key Largo, we were met with a coconut-flavored rum cocktail by the hotel reception, and it started to feel as though the travel gods would repay us for the day from hell.
The Stay at Bungalows Key Largo
Every guest at Bungalows Key Largo gets to stay in a private bungalow, which feels like a cozy beach hut that's surrounded by palm trees and greenery. Out front, there are two Adirondack chairs I loved lounging on during my slow mornings. And in the back, there's an outdoor shower that was both dreamy and convenient, since three people from my group were sharing one shower inside.
Our time in the bungalow was often spent laying around, laughing, and lounging in our Daphne Hannah Tees, which I had customized for everyone on my trip. It was the perfect T-shirt to wear around the resort since it was oversized, comfortable, and still cute.
Our private bungalow also came with two bikes to use around the resort, which was a highlight of our trip. Since the bungalows are walking distance from all the restaurants and pool area, we didn't necessarily need the bike access, but we loved riding them around the resort.
The Food and Drinks at Bungalows Key Largo
The food may have been the star of our stay, which is surprising because all-inclusive resorts aren't often known for the quality of their food. But between the poolside snacks, breakfast buffet, and dinner options, we were more than fed and satisfied.
For dinner on our first night, we ate at the resort's Mexican specialty restaurant, Sea Señor, which is located outside next to the water. (No rain as the weather app had predicted, hallelujah.) The chips and salsa cured our stomachs from the long travel day, and the birria tacos made us feel like we were actually in Mexico.
It was here at Sea Señor when we established that a skinny margarita would be our drink of the weekend, and while the cocktails at other inclusive resorts can sometimes seem watered down or lacking alcohol, this was not the case here. I can still taste the Casa Dragones tequila when I lick my lips now.
On the second day of our stay, we treated ourselves to some French toast, omelettes, waffles, and the best breakfast potatoes at Fish Tales, which is the breakfast and lunch buffet option for guests. (Fish Tales also offers a seated dinner service.)
For lunch, we had some of my faves: poolside chicken bites, pepperoni pizza, and the best sweet potato fries, among many other snackies. As to be expected, these paired deliciously well with the margaritas and frozen daiquiris we had also ordered.
On our way to dinner that night, we stopped for drinks at Hemingway Bar. There, we worked our way through the fancy cocktail list, and after tasting the Key's Passion drink, I decided that Bungalows Key Largo would have to physically vacate me from the premises in order to get me to leave. (I'm still sad about it.)
That night, we ate at Bogie and Bacall's, which is the resort's elevated dining experience. It's only included in the all-inclusive package if you stay more than four nights, so guests do have to pay for the upcharge if not. That said, the food and experience was absolutely worth it.
There, we ate steaks, many truffle-infused sides, and had the best red wine pairing recommended by our waiter Madelyn. We also learned how to fold our napkins into the shape of a sailboat, all thanks to the other waiter working our table, Lionel. (Any time someone got up to use the restroom, Madelyn and Lionel made sure we would come back to a folded napkin at our seat. If that's not incredible service, I don't know what is.)
On the final night of our stay — after a repeat of the breakfast buffet and poolside menu during the day — we ate at Fish Tales for dinner. I ordered creamy chicken alfredo, and I'm still thinking about the homemade chips and French onion dip appetizer.
The Activities at Bungalows Key Largo
I didn't want my relaxorette to be filled with an overpacked itinerary, so most of our trip was spent eating, drinking, or lounging by the pool and laying on the resort-provided raft in the water. However, the spa experience I booked is perhaps what made the relaxorette a relaxorette.
When I scheduled the 50-minute signature massage at the Zen Garden Spa, I knew it was going to feel good, but I didn't expect it to be the best massage I've ever had. The pressure my massage therapist Alisha used was hard enough that I felt like my muscles were being worked, but soft enough to relax me without leaving me sore the rest of the trip. I couldn't have felt more zen afterward, as the name of the spa promised.
We also scheduled a sunset cruise, which was way more fun than I anticipated. Though it wasn't included in the all-inclusive and did require an upcharge, it was fun to relax with my girls while having an amazing backdrop for photos.
At night, there were a variety of music happenings: My group and I danced to the DJ, got in on some karaoke, and enjoyed live music the entire weekend. The vibes were immaculate, and I don't say that lightly.
Final Thoughts on My Relaxorette
Between the poolside cocktails from our favorite server GG, the spa treatment, and the general luxury of relaxing the entire weekend, my relaxorette was everything I could have wanted and more. If Bungalows Key Largo can save me from crashing out about a lost suitcase full of bachelorette outfits, I'd say the relaxorette accomplished exactly what I wanted it to. And thankfully, when I did receive my suitcase by day-two, I was already too busy relaxing to remember how upset I was about it in the first place.
Taylor Andrews (she/her) is the senior balance editor at Popsugar, specializing in topics relating to sex, relationships, dating, sexual health, mental health, travel, and more. With eight years of editorial experience, Taylor has a strong background in content creation and storytelling. Prior to joining PS in 2021, she worked at Cosmopolitan.
