How Stay with Darby at Century 21 Kootenay Homes Achieved 40% Direct Bookings with Hostaway

At a glance

• Company: Stay with Darby at Century 21 Kootenay Homes (short-term rental division)

• Founded: 2018 

• Team: 5 core team members, plus additional property managers, assistants, and administrators

• Portfolio: 25 active listings across Rossland, Red Mountain, and surrounding areas

• Headquarters: British Columbia, Canada

• Started with Hostaway: 2 years ago

From First Listings to a Fully Formed Hospitality Brand

When Century 21 Homes decided to branch into short-term rentals, Darby Profili was tasked with building a hospitality-focused business from the ground up. The goal was simple: create spaces that feel warm and inviting, and keep guest communication easy and friendly.

With a growing lineup of 25 listings and a team that truly cares, Stay with Darby at Century 21 Kootenay Homes built a reputation for standout customer service and fun extras, like those “stay and play” golf packages with local courses.

Before Hostaway, the PMS Was Built for the Wrong Job

Like many growing operators, Darby’s team tried to make do with tools that weren’t built for short-term rentals.

At first, the team tried Buildium. Great for long-term rentals, but tracking money for short-term stays was a total pain.

They switched to Guesty, hoping for an upgrade, but ran into a clunky dashboard, confusing reports, and endless headaches with owner statements and bookkeeping. To make things worse, support was hard to reach, and costs kept going up. Every day felt tougher than it should have. And to top it all off, guests and owners were rarely on the same page, which made daily operations a real challenge.

How We Switched to Hostaway in Just 5 Weeks

So, why the switch to Hostaway?

Darby knew it was time for a fresh start. No more hopping between platforms. Darby needed a new user-friendly system that offered real 24/7 support (not just in the sales pitch) and that made sense when it came to pricing as the business grew.

After checking out five different platforms, Hostaway stood out immediately.

The Hostaway sales team made a great first impression. The onboarding customer support was easy, with real people helping.

The best part? The whole transition from Guesty to Hostaway wrapped up in just five weeks, faster than expected.

With Hostaway, Darby’s team finally has one place to handle it all, from reservations, calendars, guest messages, owner statements, direct bookings, and even Canadian GST. No more switching between invoicing apps or contract tools.

Direct bookings account for about 40% of all reservations that come in through Hostaway’s own booking website

Direct bookings are easier than ever, making up about 40% of all reservations through Hostaway’s site. That means less spent on fees, more control over the guest experience, and a growing group of loyal guests.

Darby’s advice for other managers? "Do your research, read the reviews, and pick software that fits how you actually work. Easy-to-use should really mean easy."

And the story’s not over. With 17 new properties on the horizon, Stay with Darby is just getting started, growing bigger while keeping hospitality at the heart of everything they do.

Company details

• Name: Stay with Darby at Century 21 Kootenay Homes

• Website

• Primary markets: Rossland, Red Mountain, and surrounding areas

• Contact: Darby Profili