TUI BLUE Curacao, a 297-room all-inclusive resort on the island’s quieter western side, is due to welcome its first guests on October 20, 2026. According to Caribbean Journal’s report from September 26, the date marks the start of what TUI BLUE calls its “Opening Phase,” not the completion of every venue. That distinction matters if you are thinking about booking an early stay.
Where it is and what it offers
The resort is in Groot Santa Martha on western Curacao. The report names Cas Abao, Playa Porto Mari and Christoffel National Park as nearby places. The west is the calmer side of the island compared with the busier area around Willemstad, and it suits guests who want beaches and nature over nightlife. Our guide to how far from the airport your resort should be is worth reading before you commit, because western Curacao is a longer drive from the airport than the main city.
Room types reported include standard, partial-ocean-view, ocean-view, oceanfront and family rooms. Swim-up is part of the pitch: partial-ocean-view and ocean-view swim-up rooms are listed, along with an oceanfront swim-up junior suite with a direct pool connection. At the top end are senior suites and two-bedroom suites with private pools. Our explainer on what resort room category names actually mean helps decode labels like these.
What is open in the opening phase
The venue list for the resort includes IVO Beach, Mesa Caribe, Culinarium, Thea’s Reserve, The Restaurant, a Snack Court, Grab & Go options and several bars. However, the report states that during the opening phase some permanent venues are not yet operating. Instead, guests get daily breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets, plus rotating pop-up a la carte dining six days a week. Concepts, menus and locations are expected to change during the period.
Facilities expected to be available at opening include the main pool, Oasis Pool Bar, THEAs, IVO Restaurant & Beach, the beach itself, Grab & Go, the Snack Court and a kids’ playground. A pop-up spa offers in-room massages and treatments at a temporary location while the permanent spa is completed.
The report also warns that work will continue in parts of the resort. Some areas may be closed or screened off, and services and hours may change.
What the report does not say
Several details that shape a booking decision are missing from the reporting:
- Room rates or any pricing, and the number of rooms in each category.
- Whether the resort is adults-only or open to families beyond the family rooms and playground mentioned.
- Dates for when each permanent restaurant and the permanent spa will open.
- The exact location of the pop-up dining and spa areas.
- Distances to the nearby beaches and attractions.
The report does not name an owner or management company beyond the TUI BLUE brand, so we have not either.
How to approach a new-resort opening
Early weeks at a new resort can be a good time or a frustrating one, depending on what you value. Staff are fresh and rooms are new, but systems are still settling. A few steps reduce the risk.
- Ask what is not open yet. Email the resort or your travel agent and ask for the current list of operating restaurants, bars, pools and the spa for your travel dates.
- Ask about construction. Request the hours of any work and which areas are screened off. Our guide on resort build and refurbishment dates explains why this is worth checking.
- Check the cancellation terms. If the opening slips or a major venue stays closed, you want to know what the resort will offer. See our note on a resort’s own cancellation and refund policy in the articles section.
- Read the swim-up details. Swim-up rooms can be noisy, and the number of rooms around each pool varies. Compare the room map with the pool layout before picking a category.
Is it worth waiting?
If a full set of restaurants and a permanent spa matter to you, waiting a few months until the opening phase ends is the safer choice. If you want a new room and a quiet stretch of coast and can accept buffet-plus-pop-up dining, an early stay may suit you, provided you confirm the details in writing. Either way, treat the opening date as the day the doors open, not the day the resort is complete.
We will update this post once TUI BLUE publishes its full venue schedule or confirms the end of the opening phase.