Sleep inside a six-ton replica potato, repurposed into a sleek, minimalist retreat on 400 acres of Idaho farmland outside Boise.
The Big Idaho Potato Hotel is a six-ton, 28-foot-long structure of steel, plaster, and concrete that was originally built in 2012 to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Idaho Potato Commission. For seven years, this giant replica of a Russet Burbank potato traveled across 48 states on the back of a flatbed truck as part of the Big Idaho Potato Tour. When the commission retired the colossal spud in 2019, Kristie Mae Wolfe, a former tour spokesperson and tiny-house developer, saw an opportunity. Wolfe, who had previously built unique properties like a Hawaiian treehouse and a Washington hobbit hole, repurposed the hollow shell into a highly detailed, custom retreat. She secured the spud on 400 acres of open farmland, roughly twenty-five miles southeast of Boise, with views extending toward the Owyhee Mountains.
The Big Idaho Potato Hotel interior defies its rugged, lumpy brown exterior with a surprisingly sleek, minimalist aesthetic. Inside the 336-square-foot space, Wolfe utilized ten-inch-thick expanding foam insulation, which keeps the climate-controlled space cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The walls are finished in bright white plaster, complemented by millennial pink club chairs, a custom-built queen bed with white linens, and a striking chandelier crafted from elk antlers. Since the potato has no traditional windows, a small skylight is positioned near the center of the ceiling to let in natural light. Guests can spin records on the turntable, read books from a curated collection, or utilize the kitchenette, which features a mini fridge, coffee maker, and power outlets. The stay is intentionally analog, with no television or Wi-Fi, encouraging visitors to slow down and listen to the quiet of the rural surroundings.
Just fifty feet away from the potato, a recycled grain silo has been converted into a private, spa-like bathhouse. This secondary structure features heated floors, a large whirlpool soaking tub for two, a functional indoor fireplace, and its own glass skylight designed specifically for stargazing while soaking. Outside, a wooden deck offers a place to sit and watch the sun set over the fields. The property is also home to Dolly, a friendly Jersey cow who roams the pasture and frequently approaches guests for treats from a nearby dispenser.
Bring some quarters to buy pellets from the dispenser so you can feed Dolly, the resident Jersey cow, who loves to greet guests at the fence.
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