Mahogany Farmer's Porch

I live in Massachusetts and have a south facing farmer's porch made of mahogany. Half of the porch receives a good amount of sun, but the covered portion is shaded in the afternoon. The porch stairs which receive full sun a majority of the day are quite faded. There is a small portion of the porch floor that was covered under a mat that shows what the original stain color may have been. We've been in the house four years so are unsure of the previous care, but are looking to restore it. I am looking to contract out the work and a few painters I've spoken to plan on putting down a chemical stripper and then rinsing it with a power washer. I wasn't sure if this was enough, or if it also needed to be sanded. Many contractors in my area prefer Benjamin Moore Arborcoat; however, I used this product in a solid color on a deck at a previous home and it failed (started to peel) within one year even though the prep was completed properly. What would the recommendation be for the prep of the porch? Stripping or stripping and sanding? Are the applications of the stains recommended on this site the same or similar to other stains on the market that if a contractor were to use one of these products it would be similar to the application of a Ben Moore or similar "big name" brand?