The way people want to live on vacation is changing. For years, resort ownership was largely about convenience: a residence in a desirable destination with hotel services and amenities close at hand. Today’s luxury buyer still wants that ease, but increasingly wants it paired with something more personal: the privacy, space and independence of a home.

That shift is bringing new attention to the single-family villa.

Unlike a residence within a larger resort building, a standalone villa allows owners to settle into a destination differently. There is more separation from neighbours, more room to move between indoors and out, and a greater sense that the property is truly your own. At the same time, owners can still have access to the restaurants, housekeeping, concierge, beach service and other amenities that make resort living effortless.

It reflects a broader evolution in luxury real estate. According to Sotheby’s 2026 Mid-Year Luxury Outlook Report, affluent buyers continue to prioritise unique, experience-driven homes over standardised luxury products. As younger wealthy buyers enter the market and families spend more time in their second homes, the focus is shifting from simply owning in the right destination to how it actually feels to live there.

The shift is particularly important in beachfront destinations, where space itself has become a luxury. When land is limited, the instinct has traditionally been to build taller or increase density. But for many buyers, the appeal is increasingly the opposite: fewer neighbours, private outdoor space and a more direct connection to the natural setting.

When we acquired the Point Grace property in Turks & Caicos in 2018, we saw an opportunity to put those priorities into practice. The approximately 9.5-acre beachfront site had zoning that could have supported nearly 400 hotel rooms and residences, including substantially taller buildings. Rather than maximise what could be built, we focused on preserving more of what makes the location special.

The Point by Grace Bay Resorts was conceived as a lower-density community of 58 residences and resort accommodations. Its 16 standalone two-bedroom Casitas offer perhaps the clearest example of this approach. Each has its own private garden, pool and outdoor shower, giving owners the feeling of retreating to a private Caribbean home while still having Grace Bay Beach and the services of Grace Bay Resorts just beyond their door.

That balance is becoming more meaningful as people use second homes differently. Owners may stay for weeks rather than days, return throughout the year or bring children and extended family for longer visits. The more time spent in a destination, the more the everyday qualities of a home begin to matter.

It is also changing what constitutes an amenity. Luxury has often been measured by how much a resort can offer. Increasingly, it can be about what an owner does not have to share: a pool of their own, a garden outside the bedroom, room for family to gather or simply the ability to spend an afternoon outside without feeling surrounded by a larger resort.

At The Point, that philosophy extends beyond the Casitas themselves. The space between residences and the surrounding landscape are part of the experience, allowing Grace Bay Beach to remain the focal point rather than simply the backdrop.

With The Point now 81 per cent sold, its reception points to a larger shift in what buyers want from resort ownership. They are not choosing between the privacy of a vacation home and the ease of a resort in the same way they once did. Increasingly, they expect both.

As beachfront land in established resort destinations becomes scarcer, that shift will influence how the next generation of resort communities is conceived. Building less can sometimes create more value, particularly when what buyers are seeking is space, privacy and a deeper connection to the destination.

The single-family villa sits squarely at that intersection. It offers the feeling of having a home entirely your own, with the freedom to experience a destination at your own pace, while someone else takes care of the details. For today’s resort buyer, that may be the ultimate luxury.

“Affluent buyers continue to prioritise unique, experience-driven homes over standardised luxury products”.

Gracebayresortsdevelopment.com/residences/the-point

Images: The Point