STAYFOLIO
STAYFOLIO is a Seoul-based online travel platform, founded in 2015, that curates and brokers reservations for unique boutique stays — hanok, pool villas, and design hotels — across South Korea, Japan, Bali, and Southeast Asia, serving domestic and international experience-seeking leisure travelers via a commission-based marketplace.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersSeoul, South Korea
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What STAYFOLIO does
STAYFOLIO is a Seoul-based, privately held online travel platform founded in 2015 that curates and brokers reservations for non-chain, experience-led accommodations across South Korea and select international destinations including Japan, Indonesia (Bali), and Southeast Asia. The company operates as a registered Korean travel agency (일반여행업 2018-000049호) and communications sales broker (통신판매 중개자), meaning it functions as a regulated intermediary rather than a principal seller of room nights. Its single inventory spans traditional hanok, modern pool villas, pet-friendly resorts, wellness retreats, and design-forward boutique hotels with nightly rates ranging from roughly ₩126,000 to over ₩1,189,000.
The platform is delivered through a web-based marketplace with Korean and English language storefronts, social-login onboarding (Kakao, Naver, Facebook, Apple, Google), a mileage-based loyalty program, and a structured product surface comprising the core booking engine, a PROMOTION campaign module for seasonal deals, a PRE-ORDER system for exclusive upcoming stays, and an editorial Journal including the celebrity-led "My Stay Expedition" (나의 스테이 답사기) series. No native mobile app, public API, or AI features are disclosed.
Commercially, STAYFOLIO monetizes via per-booking commissions on transactions it intermediates between travelers and property owners. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through stayfolio.com and mobile web, with marketing driven by seasonal promotional campaigns (summer sale festival, early-bird vacations, partner-exclusive deals), editorial content, email newsletters, SEO, and YouTube/Instagram presence. The customer base spans domestic Korean leisure travelers, inbound international visitors, and experience-seeking Korean consumers; a B2B purchase inquiry channel targets corporate bookings. As of available data, the company employs 101–250 people, is led by representative director Jang In-sung (장인성), and has raised approximately $12.2M across two Series A2 rounds in 2021 and 2022 led by TBT Partners.
STAYFOLIO firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- STAYFOLIO
- Legal name
- (주) 스테이폴리오
- Website
- https://stayfolio.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- STAYFOLIO is a Seoul-based online travel platform, founded in 2015, that curates and brokers reservations for unique boutique stays — hanok, pool villas, and design hotels — across South Korea, Japan, Bali, and Southeast Asia, serving domestic and international experience-seeking leisure travelers via a commission-based marketplace.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
STAYFOLIO industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Travel Accommodation Marketplace
- NAICS
- Traveler Accommodation (7211), Other Traveler Accommodation (72119), Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (72111)
- SIC
- Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Extended-Stay & Monthly Rental Marketplaces (30+ Nights) (THAMALAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Unique & Specialty Stays (Tiny Homes, Treehouses, Houseboats, Yurts, Castles) (THAGANAG), Wellness & Retreat Stays (Yoga, Spa, Detox) (THAMADAJ)
Keywords
Where STAYFOLIO is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seoul
- HQ country
- South Korea
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
STAYFOLIO business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Commission on Bookings: STAYFOLIO operates as a travel agency intermediary (통신판매 중개자) earning commission on bookings made through the platform. The company acts as intermediary between travelers and property owners, taking a transaction fee on each booking.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Budget-friendly traditional hanok and small properties |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mid-range pool villas and countryside stays |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Premium resort properties with exclusive amenities |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
STAYFOLIO product offering
Product offeringCore offering
STAYFOLIO operates an online curation and booking marketplace for unique, non-chain accommodation stays across South Korea and select international destinations. It functions as a communications sales intermediary (통신판매 중개자) connecting travelers with property owners and earning commissions on each booking. The platform curates design-forward properties including traditional hanok, modern pool villas, resorts, and pet-friendly stays, complemented by editorial Journal content and seasonal promotional campaigns.
Product overview
STAYFOLIO operates as a curated accommodation booking platform offering a portfolio of unique stays across South Korea and select international destinations. The core platform (STAYFOLIO) serves as the main booking engine, complemented by the PROMOTION feature for time-limited deals, the PRE-ORDER system for exclusive access to upcoming properties, and the Journal content series including '나의 스테이 답사기' which showcases curated stay recommendations through celebrity experiences. The platform functions as a marketplace connecting travelers with distinctive lodging options ranging from traditional hanok to modern pool villas.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- STAYFOLIO Accommodation Marketplace Platform An online curation and booking marketplace connecting travelers with unique, design-forward accommodation properties (traditional hanok, modern pool villas, boutique resorts, pet-friendly stays) across South Korea and select international destinations. Includes booking management, customer accounts, payment processing, social login (Kakao/Naver/Facebook/Apple/Google), bilingual Korean/English support, and a loyalty points program (마일리지).
- PROMOTION Campaigns A dedicated promotional campaign destination featuring limited-time deals, seasonal sales events, and exclusive discounts on partnered stays. Includes the 2026 summer accommodation sale festival, early bird vacation promotions, and destination-specific offers.
- My Stay Expedition (나의 스테이 답사기) A content series on the STAYFOLIO Journal featuring celebrities and influencers sharing their stay experiences at featured properties, serving as both entertainment and curated stay recommendations that drive booking discovery.
Companies that use STAYFOLIO
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
STAYFOLIO technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
STAYFOLIO partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
STAYFOLIO competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Plum Guide: Curated vacation rental marketplace focused on verified, design-quality homes in tier-1 cities. Directly comparable to STAYFOLIO on curated-accommodation marketplace model, premium positioning, and editorial-led differentiation against generic OTAs.
- Mr & Mrs Smith: Members-only curated boutique and luxury hotel booking platform. Closely parallels STAYFOLIO's curation of design-forward, experiential boutique properties for experience-seeking travelers.
- Design Hotels: Curated collection of independent, design-led hotels globally (now part of Marriott). Overlaps with STAYFOLIO's curated boutique stays model and serves the same experiential luxury traveler.
- StayOne: Luxury vacation rental platform curating high-end villas and chalets. Comparable to STAYFOLIO's premium pool villa and resort tier (e.g., Amber Pure Hill) and emphasis on unique, high-AOV properties.
Broad incumbents
- Yanolja: Korea's largest OTA covering hotels, vacation rentals, and travel activities. Competes for the same Korean leisure traveler wallet as STAYFOLIO but with vastly broader inventory and B2C/B2B reach.
- MyRealTrip: Korean online travel agency offering flights, hotels, packages, and activity bookings. Competes with STAYFOLIO on Korean domestic and outbound travel demand with broader category coverage.
- Klook: Asia-focused travel activities and experience booking platform. Overlaps with STAYFOLIO's experience-seeking Korean and SE Asia traveler segment, though centered on activities rather than accommodation.
- Airbnb: Global vacation rental marketplace. Competes with STAYFOLIO on Korean domestic supply and Korean outbound traveler demand, with greater scale and broader inventory.
- Booking.com: Global OTA dominating Korean and Asia-Pacific accommodation bookings. Competes for the same leisure traveler demand with substantially larger supply and marketing budgets.
- Agoda: Asia-focused OTA with strong presence in Korea, Japan, and SE Asia. Directly competes with STAYFOLIO's outbound Korea destinations (Japan, Bali, SE Asia) and supplies generic hotel inventory across the same geographies.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights2 records
Customer concentration
STAYFOLIO social profiles
Digital presenceSTAYFOLIO financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
STAYFOLIO leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
STAYFOLIO funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
STAYFOLIO M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about STAYFOLIO
What does STAYFOLIO do?
STAYFOLIO operates an online curation and booking marketplace for unique, non-chain accommodation stays across South Korea and select international destinations. It functions as a communications sales intermediary (통신판매 중개자) connecting travelers with property owners and earning commissions on each booking. The platform curates design-forward properties including traditional hanok, modern pool villas, resorts, and pet-friendly stays, complemented by editorial Journal content and seasonal promotional campaigns.
Is STAYFOLIO a public or private company?
STAYFOLIO is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was STAYFOLIO founded?
STAYFOLIO was founded in 2015. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is STAYFOLIO based?
STAYFOLIO is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, in the Asia region.
How does STAYFOLIO make money?
One revenue line is on record: commission on Bookings.
Who are STAYFOLIO's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Plum Guide, Mr & Mrs Smith, Design Hotels and StayOne. Broad incumbents are Yanolja, MyRealTrip, Klook, Airbnb, Booking.com and Agoda.
Does STAYFOLIO have an API?
No public API is recorded for STAYFOLIO.
What industry is STAYFOLIO in?
STAYFOLIO's product category is Online Travel Accommodation Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAMALAG, Extended-Stay & Monthly Rental Marketplaces (30+ Nights), with a secondary code of THAGANAG, Unique & Specialty Stays (Tiny Homes, Treehouses, Houseboats, Yurts, Castles). Its NAICS code is 7211 and its SIC code is 7000.