How StayEngine Became India's Most Affordable Hotel Software: Our Journey from 0 to 500+ Hotels

The inspiring story of how a small team in Goa built StayEngine to solve India's hotel software crisis - expensive per-room pricing, fragmented systems, and poor support. Learn how we grew from 0 to 500+ hotels across 36 states with transparent, unlimited pricing.

Saty Engine
Saty Engine
Author
Nov 23, 2025
14 min read
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In the heart of Goa's bustling hospitality scene, a small team at McFly World Communications noticed a troubling pattern: Hotel owners across India were struggling with expensive, complicated software that promised the world but delivered frustration. Small hotels couldn't afford enterprise solutions. Large hotels were locked into rigid, outdated systems. Everyone was losing money to high OTA commissions because their technology stack couldn't support direct bookings.

The Birth of StayEngine

  • 🏨 500+ hotels now powered across 36 states & UTs
  • 💰 ₹15+ crore saved in software costs for Indian hotels
  • 🚀 40% average increase in direct bookings for our clients
  • 4.9/5 rating from hotel owners across India

The Problem We Saw (And Decided to Solve)

In 2020, we spoke with hundreds of hotel owners across India - from budget guesthouses in Udaipur to luxury resorts in Kerala. The same complaints came up again and again:

💸

Expensive Per-Room Pricing

"We're paying ₹350 per room monthly. As we add more rooms, our software bill keeps growing. It's eating into our profits!"

- 42-room hotel in Jaipur

🔌

Fragmented Systems

"We use one system for PMS, another for channel manager, a third for website. Nothing talks to each other. It's chaos!"

- Resort owner in Goa

🏗️

Complicated Setup

"The software company quoted 4-6 weeks for setup and ₹1.5 lakh setup fees. We're a small hotel, we can't afford that!"

- 12-room homestay in Himachal

💔

Poor Support

"When something breaks, we wait days for support. Email support only. No phone numbers. Our bookings suffer!"

- Hotel chain with 3 properties

The Cost of Broken Systems

30%
Revenue lost to OTA commissions
₹3L+
Annual software costs for 50 rooms
15hrs
Weekly time wasted on manual tasks

Our Solution: StayEngine

We realized that Indian hotels didn't need another complicated, expensive system. They needed something simple, affordable, and complete. So we built StayEngine from the ground up with three core principles:

1

One System, Everything Included

Why juggle 5 different systems when one can do it all? StayEngine combines PMS, booking engine, channel manager, website, payment gateway, and 45+ more features into one seamless platform.

✅ Property Management System
✅ Booking Engine (Direct Bookings)
✅ Channel Manager (200+ OTAs)
✅ Professional Website
✅ Payment Gateway Integration
✅ Guest Communication
2

Transparent, Affordable Pricing

No more per-room charges. No hidden fees. Just ₹58,999 one-time setup + ₹29,500/year for unlimited rooms. Whether you have 5 rooms or 500 rooms, the price stays the same.

Traditional Software (50 rooms)
₹3.06L/year
StayEngine (Unlimited)
₹29.5K/year
You Save: ₹2.76L annually!
3

48-Hour Setup + Lifetime Support

Forget 4-6 week implementations. We get you live in 48 hours with complete training. And when you need help, call us anytime - real humans answer, 24/7, 365 days a year.

48hrs
Complete Setup
24/7
Phone Support
FREE
Staff Training

Our Journey: From 0 to 500+ Hotels

2020

🌱 The Beginning

McFly World Communications founded in Goa. Started interviewing 100+ hotel owners to understand their pain points. Began building StayEngine prototype.

Key Insight: Hotels need ONE system, not five disconnected tools
2021

🚀 First Launch

StayEngine goes live with 10 pilot hotels in Goa. Refined features based on real-world feedback. Added 200+ OTA integrations including Booking.com, Airbnb, MakeMyTrip.

10
Hotels Live
5
States
200+
OTAs
2022

📈 Rapid Growth

Crossed 100 hotels milestone. Expanded to 20+ states. Introduced revolutionary one-time pricing model. Word-of-mouth referrals doubled our customer base.

100+
Hotels
20+
States
4.8★
Rating
2023

🌟 National Recognition

Reached 300+ hotels across India. Launched mobile app for staff. Added AI-powered dynamic pricing. Featured in hospitality magazines as "Most Affordable Complete Hotel Software".

300+
Hotels
30+
States
4.9★
Rating
2024-2025

🎯 Market Leader

Crossed 500+ hotels milestone! Now in all 36 states & UTs. Processed ₹450+ crore in bookings. Launched WhatsApp booking integration. Became India's most affordable complete hotel solution.

500+
Hotels
36
States
₹450Cr
Processed
4.9★
Rating

Our Values: What Drives Us

💙

Customer First

Every feature we build, every decision we make starts with one question: "How does this help our customers succeed?"

Example: When hotels asked for 24/7 support, we hired night shift teams within 2 weeks.
🚀

Innovation

We constantly push boundaries to bring the latest technology to Indian hotels at prices they can afford.

Example: We were first to offer unlimited rooms pricing in India's hotel software market.
🤝

Partnership

We're not just a software vendor - we're your long-term technology partner, invested in your success.

Example: We help hotels optimize OTA strategies, not just provide the software.

Real Success Stories from Hotel Owners

SA

Sanjay Arora

Owner, Heritage Haveli, Udaipur

32 rooms • Heritage hotel

"We were using a basic PMS that cost ₹11,000/month and had zero OTA connections. We were manually updating rates on each OTA - took 3 hours daily! StayEngine costs us ₹2,458/month, includes 200+ OTAs, and saved us 18 hours weekly. Plus our direct bookings jumped 55% with the built-in booking engine."

₹1.32L
Annual savings
+55%
Direct bookings
18hrs
Saved weekly
PM

Priya Menon

Manager, Backpackers Nest Hostel, Manali

18 beds • Budget hostel

"As a small hostel, we couldn't afford ₹50,000+ setup fees. StayEngine got us online for ₹58,999 total - including website, domain, everything! Setup took 1.5 days. Now we're on HostelWorld, Booking.com, and getting direct bookings. Our occupancy went from 45% to 78% in 4 months!"

1.5 days
Setup time
78%
Occupancy
+73%
Occupancy boost
RK

Ramesh Kumar

Owner, Coastal Resorts (3 properties), Kerala

125 total rooms • Beach resorts

"We own 3 resorts with 125 rooms total. Our previous software charged per property AND per room - costing us ₹43,000/month! StayEngine lets us manage all 3 properties, unlimited rooms, for just ₹2,458/month. We're saving ₹4.86 lakh annually. The centralized dashboard makes multi-property management effortless."

₹4.86L
Annual savings
3
Properties
125
Total rooms

Meet the Team Behind StayEngine

StayEngine is built and supported by a passionate team of 25+ engineers, designers, and hospitality experts based in Goa, India. We're hoteliers at heart, technologists by skill.

🛠️ Engineering Team

15+ developers working on:

  • • Core platform development
  • • OTA API integrations
  • • Mobile app development
  • • Security & performance

💬 Support Team

10+ support specialists providing:

  • • 24/7 phone support
  • • Setup & onboarding
  • • Training & documentation
  • • Technical troubleshooting

About McFly World Communications Pvt Ltd

StayEngine is a proud product of McFly World Communications Private Limited, a technology company registered in India and headquartered in Goa.

🏢 Company Details

Legal Entity
McFly World Communications Pvt Ltd
Founded
2020
Headquarters
Goa, India
Team Size
25+ employees

📍 Registered Office

McFly World Communications Pvt Ltd
No. D-21, Umiya Quatro - D,
International Airport, opposite Dabolim,
Green Valley, Dabolim, Ijorshi,
Goa 403711

Our Impact: By the Numbers

500+
Hotels Powered
From Goa to Ladakh, Kashmir to Kanyakumari
36
States & UTs
Pan-India presence across every state
₹15Cr+
Saved in Costs
Cumulative savings for all our hotels
4.9★
Customer Rating
Based on 300+ verified reviews
200+
OTA Integrations
Including all major global & Indian OTAs
24/7
Support Available
Real humans, always available
₹450Cr+
Bookings Processed
Total GMV through our platform
48hrs
Average Setup Time
From signup to accepting bookings

Our Vision for the Future

We're just getting started. Our goal is to power 10,000+ hotels across India by 2027, making world-class hotel technology accessible to every property - from 5-room guesthouses to 500-room resorts.

🎯 What's Coming Next

🤖

AI-Powered Revenue Management

Automatic dynamic pricing based on demand, competitor rates, and market conditions

📱

WhatsApp Integration

Accept bookings directly on WhatsApp with automated confirmations

🌍

Multi-Language Support

Interface in 10+ Indian languages for easier adoption

💳

Buy Now Pay Later

Partner with BNPL providers for flexible guest payment options

Join 500+ Hotels Already Using StayEngine

Be part of India's hospitality revolution. One system, everything included, transparent pricing.

₹58,999
One-time setup
₹29,500
Per year (unlimited)
48hrs
Setup time
24/7
Support

🎁 Limited Offer: FREE Setup + FREE Training Worth ₹10,000

Conclusion: Technology That Empowers, Not Exploits

At StayEngine, we believe hotel technology should empower hotel owners, not exploit them with per-room charges and hidden fees. We're on a mission to make world-class hotel management software accessible to every property in India - from the smallest guesthouse to the largest resort chain.

Our promise is simple: One system. Everything included. Transparent pricing. Lifetime support.

🏨 47 Hotels Signed Up This Month

Join the growing community of smart hotel owners who chose transparent, affordable technology.

Limited slots available for 48-hour setup this month!

Ready to transform your hotel operations? Get your free demo today and see StayEngine in action!

Tags

#StayEngine story #hotel software India #McFly World Communications #hotel PMS company #Indian hotel technology #startup story
Saty Engine

About Saty Engine

Expert in hotel management and hospitality technology. Passionate about helping hotels streamline operations and boost revenue through innovative solutions.

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