Ever Wanted to Sleep Inside a Giant Potato? Now You Can For $200 a Night
Idaho is a state synonymous with its potatoes. According to the Idaho Potato Museum, the Snake River – which flows through 550 miles of Idaho – provides the perfect conditions for potatoes to grow.
A potato, in fact, needs eighty percent soil moisture to develop correctly. Also, the state’s volcanic soil makes it ideal for the vegetable’s growth. On top of the Snake River’s supply of water, snow melting in the springtime flows down from Idaho’s mountains to add another layer of moisture.
Whether you’ve never been to Idaho or lived there your entire life, the link between the state and its iconic potatoes is undeniable.
Now, you can even sleep inside a potato near the state’s capital.
Kristie Wolfe, an Airbnb host since 2014, has launched the Big Idaho Potato Hotel. The hotel is south of downtown Boise and, according to the hotel’s Airbnb page, “rest[s] on 400 acres of good ol’ Idaho farmland.”
Pictures of the potato show it in an enormous field surrounded by the Owyhee Mountains. During your visit, you can choose to have some of that big city Idaho living in Boise, trek up the Owyhee Mountains, or stay cozy inside the potato.
The Big Idaho Potato Hotel is, of course, not actually made of real potatoes. Instead, it’s made of plaster and concrete. In total, the hotel weighs a whopping six tons. Surely guests will get a better night’s sleep knowing that their well-being does not depend on the stability of six tons of potatoes sticking together.
Just because you’re staying in a potato does not mean you will not have some of your favorite modern luxuries. The spud comes equipped with a mini-fridge and power outlets. Impressively, there is even a record player, which will no doubt be a hit for millennials and baby boomers alike.
Wolfe has even repurposed part of a grain silo to serve as the Airbnb’s bathtub. The bathroom is located outside of the potato. This super-chic and modern take on the “outhouse” if anything gives you more of that traditional country lifestyle feeling.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiN3jJ9Wm0c
The interior of the potato is cozy but inviting. The white of the walls makes the whole room bright and vibrant. There is a living area with chic pink chairs, a rustic bookshelf with an artsy asymmetrical bend, and a small but elaborately-designed ottoman.
A twisted bundle of deer antlers with lights on the tips serve as the room’s avant-garde light source. Also, the bed is subtly potato-themed. Peeking out from the white bed sheets is a hint of brown at the bottom, mimicking a baked potato that is opened wide.
This is not the potato’s first rodeo. Before being repurposed to serve as a hotel, this giant spud was part of the Idaho Potato Commission’s Big Idaho Potato Tour. According to the Airbnb page, “this 6-ton potato has traveled on the back of a semi to (48) states for seven years.”
This also isn’t Kristie Wolfe’s first time working with potatoes. Wolfe once served as a Big Idaho Potato Tour spokesperson. She has developed a stellar reputation on Airbnb for her other locations since joining in 2014.
The site lists her as a superhost – an award given to prove a host has lots of experience and consistently positive ratings. Surely her latest property, the Big Idaho Potato Hotel, will solidify her place in Airbnb folklore.
The potato itself was originally produced by the Idaho Potato Commission. The commission, established in 1937, represents potato growers in Idaho, educates the public about potatoes, and provides potato-related entertainment. You can buy a keychain with the Big Idaho Potato Truck and a potato beenie (nicknamed the Spuddy Buddy) on the commission’s website. Idaho is a state that will always be linked to its potatoes, so the hotel is a winning tribute.
If you want to stay at the Big Idaho Potato Hotel, it will cost $200 a night before the service fee and occupancy tax. According to Insider, the total price comes to $247, although rates may vary. You might also want to book your stay at the spud well in advance. As of writing this, the earliest day available to stay at the hotel is in mid-June.