There’s this moment just after landing when everything seems to happen at once: you’re looking for your luggage, someone’s asking about the transfer, yesterday’s meeting is still running through your head – and somewhere out there is a hotel where you only want one thing: to arrive. Not function. Not organise. Simply be on holiday.
The first day of a holiday is often underestimated. Yet it plays a huge role in how the rest of your stay feels. Start off stressed and overtired, and that feeling tends to linger. Prepare a little in advance, on the other hand, and you’ll quickly notice: your holiday doesn’t begin at the pool – it starts the moment you let go.
Here, I’ll show you how to make your first day at the hotel feel truly relaxed – with general tips that work anywhere, plus specific examples from TUI BLUE hotels, where many of these things are already built in. If you’re not familiar with TUI BLUE yet: it’s a hotel brand by TUI designed to make holidays simpler and more personal. And arrival day is one of those moments when you really notice the difference.
Table of contents
Before you even pack: what you can sort out at home
Honestly, most stressful arrival days don’t happen because something goes wrong at the hotel, but because there wasn’t enough preparation at home. A few things can be done in ten minutes – and they’ll save you a lot of hassle later.
Use online check-in if your hotel offers it. It saves you dealing with paperwork at reception, especially if you’re travelling with children or arriving late in the evening. At TUI BLUE hotels, this works via the BLUE App, where you can easily fill everything in from your sofa – before you’ve even taken your suitcase out. This app will act as your personal holiday planner throughout your stay.
Secure your preferred room. It’s not available everywhere, but it’s worth checking – in many TUI BLUE hotels, you can choose your room in advance via Select Your Room. Whether you want a quiet spot, proximity to the pool, a higher floor with a view or short walks to breakfast – the right room makes more difference than you might think.
You can book plenty before you arrive – and it’s absolutely worth it
What many people don’t realise: you don’t have to wait until you arrive at the hotel to start planning your holiday. In the BLUE App, you can take care of plenty in advance – the very things that often cause stress on arrival day:
- Register children for the kids’ club, so childcare can start straight away without paperwork on arrival.
- Reserve tables at à la carte restaurants – ideally for several evenings. Popular restaurants can be fully booked for the week during peak season, so leaving it until arrival often means missing out.
- Book sports classes, yoga sessions or spa treatments, ensuring you get a spot instead of finding everything fully booked on day one.
The advantage: you already have a sense of what to expect and can simply arrive on the day. For many guests, this also becomes a lovely pre-holiday ritual – browsing the BLUE App on the sofa and planning what to do during the first week.
Keep travel documents handy in digital form. Booking reference, passport, credit card, your travel app of choice. It sounds simple, but it’s exactly what makes the difference between calm and chaos at the airport.
From the airport to the hotel: treat yourself to a bit more comfort
There are two types of transfers: the one where you sit on a coach stopping at every hotel except yours, and the one where you’re driven straight through and are by the pool 40 minutes later. Both are fine. But after an early flight – or with children – a private transfer is well worth considering. You step out, someone’s waiting with your name on a sign, and everything else takes care of itself.
The benefit of booking with TUI BLUE: transfers, car hire and excursions can all be arranged in one place. Everything is coordinated, everything fits together. It’s also worth checking the BLUE App for excursion ideas – popular tours often sell out quickly during peak season.
And if you’d rather not fly at all, your arrival can feel relaxed from the start: you can reach the TUI BLUE Sylt on the North Sea island by car or train – and find yourself surrounded by dunes and tidal flats without ever stepping on a plane.
Arriving at the hotel: check-in doesn’t have to be a marathon
You probably know the scene: the coach arrives, everyone gets off, everyone wants to check in – and suddenly you’re in a queue that barely moves. This is where online check-in makes the biggest difference, as you’ll often just pick up your key card at reception.
What you should still have ready: passport or ID, booking reference and possibly a credit card for a deposit. If you’re travelling as a group, one person can handle it while the others start unwinding.
If your room isn’t ready yet
It happens more often than you’d think. You arrive early, the room is still being cleaned, and reception says: two more hours. No problem.
First: some hotels offer early check-in as an extra. At TUI BLUE, you can check in the BLUE App which services and extras are available – early check-in, late check-out and more are often listed or bookable there.
Second: your holiday has already begun. Drop off your luggage, take a walk around the hotel, grab a coffee at the bar, browse restaurant menus. If you packed cleverly, you’ll have swimwear and a fresh shirt in your hand luggage – and suddenly you’re by the pool while your suitcase is still in reception.
Freshen up without a room
This is where many hotels simply ask you to wait. At TUI BLUE, some locations offer a solution: Farewell Lounges with showers, changing rooms and secure lockers. A great example is the TUI BLUE Sarigerme Park on Turkey’s Aegean coast – a spacious beachfront resort where you can freshen up even after check-out. Although these lounges are mainly intended for departure day, it’s always worth asking reception if you can use them on arrival. And if not, there’s usually a pool or beach area where you can quickly change.
The first hour: don’t try to do everything at once
This is my most important tip, honestly. Keep your first hour at the hotel completely free. No schedule, no excursion planning, no calling everyone back home, no posting stories straight away. Sit down somewhere, have a cold drink, take it all in. Walk around, find the pools, restaurants and beach access points. This short moment of arrival does more to reduce stress than you realise.
Once your mind feels clearer, it’s worth opening your hotel app, if there is one. At TUI BLUE, that’s the BLUE App, where you’ll find the daily programme, restaurant opening times, local tips and everything happening in the hotel. Much easier than queuing at reception or searching notice boards.
Travelling solo? Here’s how to meet people on your first evening
Something that’s often overlooked: if you’re travelling alone, the first evening can sometimes feel a little awkward. But it doesn’t have to be.
Many hotels have notice boards or meet-ups for solo travellers. TUI BLUE makes it even easier: the BLUE App includes a message board where you can connect with other guests. You can ask if anyone fancies a game of tennis, a sunset walk or joining the same excursion. You’ll quickly find like-minded people, perhaps even someone to dine with on your first night, and pick up tips from those who’ve already been there a few days.
For couples who want a calm first evening, TUI BLUE’s adults-only resorts offer a particularly relaxed atmosphere – such as the TUI BLUE Yaramar on the Costa del Sol or the TUI BLUE Makadi on the Red Sea in Egypt. Both are adults-only and ideal if you prefer a quieter first evening.
Dinner on your first night: book early
A classic arrival-day mistake: at 7pm you realise you’re hungry, but the à la carte restaurant is fully booked. A simple tip: reserve your table for the first evening as soon as you check in – or even better, before you travel if possible.
In many hotels, this means visiting reception or the restaurant in person. At TUI BLUE, you can do it via the restaurant booking feature in the BLUE App: see availability, choose your table and time, and avoid queues. Especially in hotels with multiple themed restaurants, this is a real advantage – you can secure the best time slots for the week right from the start.
If you’re travelling with children, earlier dining times are usually more relaxed. Travelling as a couple? Opt for a later slot to enjoy the atmosphere at dusk.
Activities, spa and excursions: what to plan on day one
You don’t need to plan your whole holiday on arrival day. But there are a few things that book up quickly: morning yoga, tennis lessons, spa treatments, guided tours. If any of these appeal, take a moment to secure your spot while availability is still good.
Again, TUI BLUE makes this easy: in the BLUE App, you can browse and book activities, services and extras – often even before arrival. Daybeds by the pool, fitness classes, spa treatments, everything in one place. For local excursions, it’s also worth checking TUI Musement – some of the best experiences are those you wouldn’t find in a guidebook.
Arriving with children: small helpers, big difference
With kids, the first day can quickly become chaotic. What really helps: a small hand luggage kit with swimwear, snacks, a change of clothes, sun cream and a favourite toy. That way, it doesn’t matter if the room isn’t ready – the children can settle in straight away.
Many TUI BLUE hotels offer a kids’ club, with registration conveniently handled via the BLUE App – even before arrival if you wish. That means no rushing to fill out forms; instead, you can relax by the pool while sorting everything on your phone. This is particularly noticeable in TUI BLUE Family Fun resorts, designed with families in mind – such as the TUI BLUE Lagoon Princess in Halkidiki or the TUI BLUE Tropical on Turkey’s Aegean coast. One tip: don’t book the kids in immediately after the flight – let them settle in first.
What really helps: a friendly face instead of anonymity
On arrival day, it makes a huge difference whether you feel left to figure things out on your own or have someone there to guide you. At TUI BLUE, that role is taken by the BLUE Guides – local hosts who offer personal advice, share insider tips and are also reachable via the BLUE App. It’s here the concept stands out most: you’re not just getting a room, but someone helping shape your holiday experience.
Finally: give yourself time to truly arrive
Your first day doesn’t need to be perfect. You don’t have to see everything, try every pool, or find the best restaurant straight away. What matters is that moment when you sit down, take a deep breath and realise: I’m really on holiday.
So pack your ‘arrival kit’ in your hand luggage, sort out check-in, room selection, restaurant bookings and kids’ club in advance, organise your transfer ahead of time – and on arrival day, simply deal with whatever’s left. It’s far less than you think.
If you’d like to spend less time organising and more time relaxing on your next trip, you now know where to look: at a TUI BLUE hotel, much of it is already taken care of – from online check-in and room selection to restaurant bookings, kids’ club registration, the message board for meeting people and BLUE Guides on site. The only thing left to do is order that first drink with a view.