How Modern Stay Revolutionized Group Travel with Hostaway

At a glance

• Company: Modern Stay

• Co-founders: Islam Elgarhi and Ali

• Founded: 2022

• Headquarters: Bayonne, New Jersey, USA

• Listings: 40+

• Locations: Primarily Bayonne, NJ, with expansion into Saudi Arabia and Egypt

• Employees: 5–6 full-time staff, 15 cleaners, and a full-time maintenance crew

• Previous approach: Manual guest communications, pricing, and multiple platform logins

• Onboarding time: Within 48 hours of their first demo

• Started with Hostaway: 2023

• Key result: Scaled from 2 to 40+ listings in 2 years, generating $1M in annual revenue, projected to grow 1.5x next year

• Website: www.modernstay.ai/

When it comes to group travel, Modern Stay offers an experience that redefines togetherness. Ali and Islam have turned a passion for hospitality into a thriving business that caters to large groups seeking comfort, connection and convenience.

With thoughtfully designed properties and a focus on high-end amenities, Modern Stay is more than just a place to stay — it’s a home away from home. This innovative approach to short-term rentals has carved out a unique niche in a competitive market, setting new standards for how families and friends gather to create lasting memories.

From a Single Unit to a Thriving Business

In 2022, Ali’s long-term tenant moved out, leaving his property vacant. His wife decided to turn it into an Airbnb, but she quickly realized the immense effort it required. Despite the challenges, the results exceeded their expectations. Encouraged by this success, Ali institutionalized the process and shared the idea with Islam, a longtime friend.

What started with a single unit grew into a full-time business offering large-group stays in meticulously designed properties. Modern Stay quickly expanded from a local operation in Bayonne, New Jersey, to include listings in Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

What Sets Modern Stay Apart

Modern Stay has carved a niche in the competitive New York City market by offering high-quality accommodations for large groups. Instead of booking multiple hotel rooms, families and friends can enjoy the comfort and cost-effectiveness of staying under one roof.

Many of their properties were once personal homes, offering guests a nostalgic, lived-in feel. Beyond their exceptional properties, Modern Stay provides full-service co-hosting for property owners, handling guest communications, pricing management, bookings and maintenance. With a 15-person cleaning staff and a dedicated maintenance crew, they ensure smooth operations for both guests and property owners.

The Challenges of Scaling

As their portfolio grew, Modern Stay faced operational hurdles. Manually managing guest communications, pricing, and multiple logins was time-consuming and inefficient. The team quickly realized they needed a Property Management System (PMS) to centralize operations and streamline their processes.

Why Hostaway?

Modern Stay chose Hostaway after a short but decisive research process. Within 48 hours of their first demo, they were onboarded and using the platform. What made Hostaway stand out was its seamless setup, personalized onboarding experience and ability to address specific needs, such as managing multi-floor properties as a single listing.

“Hostaway didn’t break and it’s become our most important tool,” says Ali. The platform is now so integral to their operations that familiarity with Hostaway is a question they ask in job interviews.

Before Hostaway vs. After Hostaway

How Hostaway Transformed Modern Stay

Hostaway enabled Modern Stay to scale efficiently from 2 to 40 listings in just two years. Key features like the integrated inbox, multi-calendar and API integrations have streamlined operations, making management simpler and more efficient.

• Reliability -  Islam emphasized that missed messages were a concern with other systems, but Hostaway’s reliability eliminated that fear. “If it’s not on Hostaway, it doesn’t exist,” he says.

• Ease of use - The multi-calendar is a daily tool for Ali, providing a perfect balance of functionality and simplicity.

• Streamlined processes -  While challenges like auto-translations and financial setups took time, the platform significantly improved efficiency compared to manual processes.

The Numbers Tell the Story

• 3,000 reservations over two years, with 70% booked in the last year.

• $1 million in annual revenue, projected to grow 1.5x within the next year.

• A single property owner earned 85% of their income through direct bookings, thanks to Hostaway’s channel management capabilities.

Lessons for Aspiring Property Managers

Islam advises other property managers to fully utilize Hostaway’s integrations and tools. 

“Take the time to learn the platform. You’ll grow faster and outperform yourself every day.”

Modern Stay has also learned to be selective with property owners, ensuring partnerships align with their high standards and vision.

Future Prospects

Modern Stay is expanding its presence in New Jersey while growing markets in Saudi Arabia and Egypt. They aim to empower property owners with tools to increase revenue while maintaining exceptional guest experiences.

For Modern Stay, being channel-diverse is key. They’ve demonstrated the ability to drive direct bookings and reduce dependency on platforms like Airbnb, helping property owners secure steady, reliable income.

Why Hostaway is Essential

Modern Stay depends on Hostaway for its user-friendly design, powerful features and excellent support. From managing guest communications to optimizing pricing and channels, Hostaway has been key to their success.

If you’re a property manager looking to grow your business, Modern Stay’s journey demonstrates how the right tools and vision can make all the difference.

Company details

• Name: Modern Stay

• Primary markets: Bayonne, New Jersey, USA; Saudi Arabia; Egypt

• Contact: Islam Elgarhi, Co-Founder

• Website: www.modernstay.ai/

FAQs

Why did Modern Stay need a property management system? 

As Modern Stay's portfolio grew, manually managing guest communications, pricing, and multiple platform logins became time-consuming and inefficient. That operational strain led the team to look for a Property Management System (PMS) capable of centralizing operations and streamlining daily processes.

Why did Modern Stay choose Hostaway? 

Modern Stay chose Hostaway after a short, decisive evaluation and was fully onboarded within 48 hours of its first demo. Its seamless setup, personalized onboarding, and ability to handle specific needs like managing multi-floor properties as a single listing set it apart from the alternatives. As Co-Founder Ali puts it, "Hostaway didn't break and it's become our most important tool," and the platform is now so central to Modern Stay's operations that familiarity with Hostaway is something they ask about in job interviews. 

What results has Modern Stay achieved since adopting Hostaway? 

Since adopting Hostaway in 2023, Modern Stay has scaled from 2 to 40 listings in two years, generating 3,000 reservations and $1 million in annual revenue, with growth projected at 1.5x over the next year. One property owner now earns 85% of their income through direct bookings.

What Hostaway features does Modern Stay rely on most? 

Modern Stay's day-to-day operations run on Hostaway's integrated inbox for guest communication, a multi-calendar used daily, API integrations, and channel management that supports strong direct-booking performance, along with the ability to manage multi-floor properties as a single listing.

What is Islam Elgarhi's advice to aspiring property managers? 

Islam Elgarhi advises property managers to fully learn and utilize Hostaway's integrations and tools, saying doing so helps a business grow faster and consistently outperform itself. Modern Stay has also learned to be selective about which property owners it partners with, prioritizing alignment with their high standards and vision.

What's next for Modern Stay? 

Modern Stay is expanding its presence in New Jersey while continuing to grow in Saudi Arabia and Egypt, with a focus on helping property owners increase revenue through channel diversity, including reduced dependency on platforms like Airbnb in favor of direct bookings.