Grace Bay adds Robert Eastman as Private Villa Collection director

Grace Bay Resorts appointed Robert Eastman as director of the Private Villa Collection and key accounts for the company's complete collection of boutique luxury properties, which now totals six private residences in Turks & Caicos with two more launching in Q2 of this year. He also will oversee plans for continued expansion through 2021. Eastman brings nearly 30 years of experience in the villa and vacation rental business to the newly created role, and will oversee the strategic continued growth of Grace Bay Resorts’ Private Villa Collection.

Most recently, Eastman worked for Onefinestay as head of national accounts, increasing sales from the company's business-to-business segment 40 percent. Before that, Eastman was retained by American Express to create a Luxury Villa Division for its wholly owned subsidiary Travel Impressions and its managed brand, American Express Vacations. As managing director of the Luxury Villa Division, he was responsible for overseeing website development, contracting more than 100 overseas property-management companies, and marketing the product to travel trade and through American Express call centers.

Previously, Eastman founded and owned Villas of Distinction, a luxury villa provider that helps travelers find vacation homes, and continued to manage the company for another five years after it was successfully sold to World Travel Holdings.

The Private Villa Collection at Grace Bay Resorts is a compilation of Turks & Caicos Islands’ finest freestanding private beachfront villas located within a 10-minute drive from Grace Bay Club. The villas are managed by the team from Grace Bay Resorts, and guests receive full access to Grace Bay Club’s amenities, as well as guest services including private airport transfers, a personal concierge, daily housekeeping, complimentary breakfast in-villa a complimentary start-up bar and dining shuttle to Grace Bay Club or West Bay Club. The Private Villa Collection is made up of The Residences, The Dunes, La Dolce Vita and soon the Blue Cay Estate, which is under construction.

“We are thrilled to have Mr. Eastman bring his expertise in luxury villas and unique perspective to Grace Bay Resorts,” Nikheel Advani, COO and principal of Grace Bay Resorts, said in a statement. “We look forward to working closely with him as we continue to rapidly expand the Private Villa Collection to keep up with demand.”

Eastman is based in the Grace Bay Resorts's New York City office.