Fancy spending a night in a potato? OK, perhaps we should explain.
In its previous incarnation, the Big Idaho Potato Hotel used to travel up and down the country on behalf of the Idaho Potato Commission to promote the state’s most famous crop.
The giant spud’s nationwide tour recently concluded, but it seemed a waste to trash the prop, so tiny-house developer Kristie Wolfe proposed transforming it into a quirky Airbnb rental.
The carb-free accommodation, which is available for stays from June 2019, will be located in 400 acres of farmland about 20 miles south-east of Idaho’s state capital, Boise.
The Big Idaho Potato Hotel costs $200 a night plus $42 in taxes and features one queen bed and one bath. It also has air-conditioning and an indoor fireplace (for that baked potato feeling).
But take note, this place is more suited to minimalists than those attached to their creature comforts. Why? Because there’s no TV, no Wi-Fi, no washer, and no kitchen. But let’s be honest, you really shouldn’t expect too much if you’re staying inside a tater.
Wolfe, who accompanied the potato on its multi-state tour, said that during that time the prop was just a hollow shell used for storing promotional material and other stuff. As the road trip drew to a close, she began to get some ideas about what she might do with it.
“I had a tiny house at the time, and I was like … this is the same square footage as my house — it’s actually bigger than my house — I could totally make this into a place [to stay],” she told the Idaho Statesman, adding, “I have a perfect lot, and I’m going to get that potato and turn it into something cool.”
Frank Muir, CEO of the Idaho Potato Commission, also had something to say about the large model of one of America’s favorite vegetables. “If you put it in a museum, that’s one thing, but if you put it out here … it’s a way of inviting people to experience Idaho in a unique way,” Muir told local reporters this week.
Airbnb recently revealed its most popular rental globally, and, in case you’re wondering, it’s not veg-shaped. It’s actually a quaint little dome-topped cabin in a California forest and it’s so popular that you currently have to wait almost a year for a weekend opening.
