Big Idaho Potato Hotel, once on tour, now an Airbnb rental

This story was originally published in April 2019.

The Big Idaho Potato was supposed to only spend a year or two traveling the United States promoting the state’s most famous culture. But the 6-ton potato tour lasted six years.

The Idaho Potato Commission had no plan for the potato once it was replaced with a new one. The Idaho Potato Museum in Blackfoot was interested in exhibiting it, but Kristie Wolfe had another idea.

Wolfe, a mini-home developer who created a Hobbit Hole rental overlooking the Columbia River near Chelan, Wash., And a treehouse on the Big Island of Hawaii, wanted to transform the Big Idaho Potato into an Airbnb rental.

“It has always been in my game plan,” said Wolfe, who spent two years on the road with the Potato as a commission ambassador. “I had the perfect batch, and one day I was going to have this potato and turn it into something cool.”

From the end of May, guests can stay at the Big Idaho Potato Hotel. Located in the unincorporated The hamlet of Orchard in Ada County, 40 km southeast of Boise, is located at 31581 S. Orchard Access Road, 5.4 km south of the Boise Stage Stop on the Interstate 84.

Wolfe owns the property and previously lived in a small house on the site.

The commission gave Wolfe the potato, which is 28 feet long, 12 feet wide and 11.5 feet high. The Airbnb rental asset will continue to bring potato and brand awareness to the commission, said Frank Muir, CEO of the Idaho Potato Commission.

“If you put it in a museum, that’s one thing, but if you put it here near Mountain Home, it’s a way to invite people to experience Idaho in a unique way,” said Muir Monday during a media tour of the hotel.

The Big Idaho Potato Hotel, which will cost $ 200 a night plus $ 42 in taxes and fees, is aimed at couples. At 336 square feet, it includes a queen-size bed, two armchairs, an elk wood chandelier, a small sink, lights, heat and air conditioning, and a beverage cooler. There is a separate bathroom that looks like a miniature steel silo with a round corrugated steel tub, walk-in shower, sink, and toilet.

The hollow interior of the Big Idaho Potato was used to store supplies and t-shirts, Spuddy Buddy stuffed animals, and other promotional items during tours across the country. Wolfe added 8 inches of spray foam insulation to hide the frame, hooked up the potato to well water and a septic tank, and prepared it for electricity. She dug two recesses next to the head of the bed and a space for the sink and beverage cooler near the door at one end. She installed a wooden floor.

Wolfe believes the Big Idaho Potato Hotel will be popular with residents of southern Idaho and visitors from across the country who may have seen or heard of the potato on tour.

“We have a couple from Europe taking a trip to the Oregon coast,” she said in an interview. “They’re redirecting their trip to spend a night here, which is pretty fun.”

Wolfe planted sweet potatoes around the sweet potato and purchased a Jersey cow to bring a rural touch to the property, which is located just south of the Union Pacific Railroad’s South Idaho Highway and north. of the Idaho Air National Guard Orchard Combat Training Center.

“It’s very American,” Wolfe said. “You have potatoes, the army and the railroad. It’s a great way to see Idaho in a night or two.

Journalist John Sowell has worked for the Statesman since 2013. He covers business and growth issues. He grew up in Emmett and graduated from the University of Oregon. If you enjoy seeing stories like this, consider supporting our work with a digital subscription to the Idaho Statesman.


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