Stay Montana

What Stay Montana does

Stay Montana is a privately held, locally family- and employee-owned vacation rental management company headquartered in Whitefish, Montana, founded in 2016 and operating with 11-50 employees. The company runs a direct-to-consumer booking platform and property management service covering over 500 short-term rental properties across Montana's premier mountain destinations, including Big Sky, Whitefish, Bozeman, the Bigfork/Flathead Valley region, and Glacier National Park. Core products span ski-in/ski-out condos, lakefront homes, downtown lofts, monthly extended-stay rentals, and pet-friendly units, supplemented by concierge services such as ski/snowboard rentals, grocery and meal delivery, and travel insurance coordination. Sub-brands include The Sapphire Collection (luxury tier), Village Center Big Sky, Moonlight Basin Rentals, Many Springs Flathead Lake Resort, Marina Cay Condos, and Grizzly Suites near Glacier.

The technology foundation centers on the Streamline VRS property management platform (visible from the owner login portal) for owner-facing operations, paired with a proprietary consumer website offering property search, filtering by location/bedrooms/amenities/complex, and direct booking. The company does not have a mobile app and uses third-party tools (hCaptcha for bot protection, Soundestlink for form tracking). Revenue is generated through two streams: transaction-based commissions on guest bookings (direct booking emphasized over third-party OTAs for best pricing) and recurring property management contracts with homeowners for cleaning, maintenance, and guest services. Distribution is purely direct-to-consumer via the company website and phone, with marketing driven by organic social (Facebook, Instagram), an email program, and SEO-oriented area guides and blog content.

The business serves two primary customer sets: leisure guests seeking premium Montana mountain experiences (families, groups, ski enthusiasts, luxury travelers, monthly renters, pet owners) and vacation-rental property owners seeking professional management of their investment properties. Strategic emphasis in recent years has been on geographic expansion (notably into the Flathead Valley in 2023 with 40+ new properties) and luxury-tier product expansion rather than capital-intensive growth, consistent with the company's closely held, non-institutional ownership structure and absence of external funding.

Name

Stay Montana

Legal name

Stay Montana

Website

https://staymontana.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Stay Montana is a privately held, family- and employee-owned vacation rental management company operating 500+ properties across Montana's premier destinations (Big Sky, Whitefish, Bozeman, Flathead Valley, Glacier), offering direct booking, property management, and concierge services to leisure travelers and vacation-home owners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vacation Rental Management

SIC

Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531), Hotels & Motels (7011), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Full-Service Vacation Rental Property Management (THAMAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Full-Service Vacation Rental Property Management (BPAJAIAA), Mountain & Ski Homes (THAMAAAG), Luxury Chalets & Ski-In/Ski-Out Homes (THAMAEAD), Vacation & Short-Term Rental Management (BPAJAFAI)

Keywords

• Vacation rental management
• Short-term rental services
• Property management
• Vacation rental bookings
• Concierge services

Headquarters

HQ city

Big Sky

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Vacation Rental Bookings: Revenue is generated from vacation rental bookings where guests pay for short-term rental of properties managed by Stay Montana. The company takes a commission or management fee from property owners for booking services.
2. Property Management Services: Stay Montana provides property management services to property owners including cleaning, maintenance, and guest services, generating recurring revenue from these management contracts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Stay Montana is a vacation rental management and booking company that aggregates and manages more than 500 short-term rental properties across Montana's premier destinations (Big Sky, Whitefish, Bozeman, Bigfork/Flathead Valley, and Glacier), renting them to leisure travelers. The company also enrolls third-party property owners and provides end-to-end property management services including professional cleaning, guest services, and booking optimization, plus add-on concierge services such as ski rentals, grocery delivery, and travel insurance coordination.

Product overview

Stay Montana operates a comprehensive vacation rental marketplace platform offering over 500 rental properties across Montana's premier destinations: Big Sky, Whitefish, Bozeman, Bigfork/Flathead Valley, and Glacier National Park. The core product is the vacation rental booking platform, with properties ranging from studios to 9-bedroom homes across diverse categories including ski-in/ski-out, luxury, pet-friendly, waterfront, and secluded retreats. Key sub-brands include The Sapphire Collection (luxury tier) and specialized areas like Village Center Big Sky and Moonlight Basin. The company also offers property management services for owners and concierge add-ons including ski rentals, meal delivery, and grocery services. Recent expansion brought 40+ properties in the Flathead Valley region, including the Many Springs Flathead Lake Resort with 12 lakefront studios and Marina Cay luxury condominiums.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Vacation Rentals - Big Sky Vacation rental properties located at Big Sky Resort, offering ski-in/ski-out access, condos in various complexes, and properties with amenities including private hot tubs, fireplaces, and mountain views for travelers visiting Southwest Montana.
• Vacation Rentals - Whitefish Vacation rental properties in the Whitefish area including downtown lofts, slopeside condos, and mountain retreats near Whitefish Mountain Resort, with access to skiing, golf courses, and Glacier National Park.
• Vacation Rentals - Bozeman Vacation rental properties in the Bozeman area, including downtown Bozeman rentals and Gallatin Gateway properties, offering proximity to Yellowstone National Park and local attractions.
• Vacation Rentals - Bigfork/Flathead Valley Vacation rental properties in the Bigfork and Flathead Valley region, including waterfront properties on Flathead Lake, Echo Lake, and Swan River; Marina Cay complex condos; Downtown Bigfork rentals; and properties on Eagle Bend Golf Course. Expanded to include Whitefish, Columbia Falls, and Lakeside areas.
• Many Springs Flathead Lake Resort Premier lakefront vacation resort at Many Springs featuring 12 studio vacation rentals with options for 1 king-size bed, 2 queen beds, or 1 queen bed, along with kitchens, full bathrooms, balconies, and lake views. Located in Yellow Bay on the east side of Flathead Lake, for couples and small groups seeking a waterfront Montana getaway.
• Marina Cay Condos Luxury vacation condominiums at Marina Cay Resort featuring dramatic Flathead Lake views, waterfront setting, seasonal outdoor pool, hot tubs, and proximity to Bigfork village's galleries, boutiques, and restaurants.
• Village Center Big Sky Premier mountain retreat in Big Sky Resort's Mountain Village offering luxury ski-in/ski-out access, modern alpine elegance, refined comfort, spacious interiors, and elevated finishes with views of Lone Peak and surrounding mountains.
• Moonlight Basin Rentals Properties on the backside of Lone Peak in Moonlight Basin offering prime skiing access to Big Sky Resort's 5,800 acres, hiking trails, and access to 5 resort lifts. Includes luxury lodges and family-friendly condos.
• The Sapphire Collection A curated luxury collection of vacation rentals representing the highest tier of accommodations, featuring premium amenities, high-end finishes, and exclusive properties for affluent travelers.
• Grizzly Suites - Glacier National Park Specialized vacation rental properties near Glacier National Park, offering accommodations for visitors to one of Montana's premier national parks.
• Property Management Services End-to-end vacation rental property management services for property owners, including professional cleaning, guest services, customer service, and booking optimization. Services available for Big Sky, Whitefish, Bozeman, and surrounding Montana areas, offered under the 'Enroll Your Property' program with free rental evaluations.
• Ski & Snowboard Rentals Standalone ski and snowboard equipment rental services available in the Big Sky and Whitefish areas, allowing guests staying at Stay Montana properties (or other visitors) to rent gear directly through the company.
• Concierge Services Concierge services including Big Sky and Whitefish ski & snowboard rentals, meal delivery options, grocery delivery, and travel insurance coordination, designed to enhance the guest vacation experience with bundled hospitality support.

Quantifiable outcome

• Expanded to Flathead Valley with 40+ new properties
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Explore RentalsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPreferred partner for car rentals, camping gear rentals, and raft rentals in the Bozeman area. Conveniently located just 5 minutes from the Bozeman airport. Offers 5% discount for Stay Montana guests.
• Lone Mountain LimominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGround transportation partner offering guests 10% off limo services. Book via their website or call with promo code.
• Big Sky ShuttleminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal Big Sky Shuttle service for airport transfers and tours, recommended for ground transportation from Bozeman Airport.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Vacasa: Largest U.S. vacation rental property management company offering full-service management and booking across mountain and resort destinations directly comparable to Stay Montana's two-sided model.
• Evolve Vacation Rental: National vacation rental manager with a lightweight full-service model and strong direct booking platform, competing for the same owner-acquisition and guest demand pool as Stay Montana.
• AvantStay: Hospitality-focused vacation rental manager operating in mountain and leisure destinations, directly comparable in product (whole-home rentals, concierge add-ons) and target customer (group/luxury travelers).
• Natural Retreats: Luxury-focused vacation rental manager in U.S. mountain and coastal destinations (e.g., Jackson Hole, Telluride), comparable to Stay Montana's premium Sapphire tier and ski-in/ski-out positioning.
• Moving Mountains: Luxury vacation rental and property management company in U.S. and European ski destinations, comparable in premium chalet product and concierge services.
• Skyrun Vacation Rentals: Multi-destination vacation rental management company with properties in mountain and resort markets (including Colorado and other Western states), directly comparable to Stay Montana's multi-office Montana model.

Broad incumbents

• Airbnb: Largest vacation rental marketplace with comparable listings in Big Sky, Whitefish, and Glacier; offers booking infrastructure that competes with Stay Montana's direct booking channel.
• VRBO (Expedia Group): Major vacation rental marketplace with deep penetration in U.S. mountain destinations, competing for both guest bookings and host/owner relationships in Montana.

Regional players

• Alpine Lodging (Telluride): Regional vacation rental property manager in Telluride/Mountain Village, Colorado, with comparable full-service management and mountain-town positioning, though in a different geography.
• Summit Mountain Rentals: Regional vacation rental management company focused on ski and mountain destinations in the Western U.S., offering comparable property management services and concierge amenities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/staymontana
• Instagraminstagram.com/gostaymt

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Stay Montana