If you're not going for the Carnival experience, I suggest you avoid overlapping with it. Prices go up a lot, traffic is impossible, everything is crowded. In particular, since there are so many tourists, there is stiff competition for escorts and prices can be as much as 2 or 3 times higher.
So, if you don't care about Carnival, go in April or May instead. The weather is not as hot but it's still a wonderfully warm 25-35 degrees. Beaches and clubs are still packed with people but nothing like Carnival, where you can't even make your way through the crowd.
That said, Carnival *is* a unique experience, so if you don't mind the crowds, the heat, the noise, the traffic etc - then your plan sounds just fine.