Eagle, Idaho – From ABC-TV’s popular morning show, Live with Kelly and Ryan to People magazine to USA Today, the Big Idaho® Potato Hotel made international news within hours of its launch on Earth Day.
Eight years ago, the 6-ton potato created by the Idaho Potato Commission (IPC), made headlines when it rolled out of Boise on a flat-bed trailer with a mission to promote Idaho’s most famous agricultural commodity, the Idaho® potato. After logging more than 200,000 miles on America’s highways and byways, it was time to retire the famous spud. A member of the Tater team that traveled with the Big Idaho® Potato Truck for two years, Kristie Wolfe, ingeniously transformed the sturdy tuber into a cozy Airbnb. It’s now permanently planted on an expansive field in South Boise with breathtaking views of the Owyhee Mountains.
“The Big Idaho® Potato Hotel allows people to experience Idaho in a unique way,” said Frank Muir, President & CEO, IPC. “The IPC was happy to let Kristie convert a hallmark of the Idaho® potato brand into a permanent destination that can be enjoyed by visitors from all over the world.”
The Big Idaho® Potato Hotel has generated close to one billion media impressions to date, and the media still can’t stop talking about it! Highlights from the launch include:
- Coverage on more than 100 local TV stations
- Pick up in 27 countries outside the U.S. including: Australia, Brazil, Canada, England, Finland, France, Ghana, Germany, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, and Vietnam
- Featured in over 800 news articles including US Weekly, Travel & Leisure, Fast Company, New York Post and NPR
- A slew of creative descriptions including:
- “House of Carbs” — The Irish Post
- “New ‘Spud-Tacular’ Airbnb Rental” — KNWA-TV Online
- “Carb lovers rejoice!” — People magazine
- Inclusion in People magazine’s “5 Things We’re Talking About” page alongside Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga, Game of Thrones and The Avengers
- A multi-post Instagram story by supermodel Bella Hadid who has over 24 million followers
- $1 million value in advertising equivalency!
If you’re wondering what happened to the Big Idaho® Potato Truck, it’s still on the road turning heads. The new potato it’s hauling is made of fiberglass, which will last for many years.
About the Big Idaho® Potato Hotel
The Big Idaho® Potato Hotel is a 28-foot long, 12-foot wide and 11.5-foot tall potato made of plaster, concrete and steel that was converted into a tiny home by Kristie Wolfe, a former member of the Big Idaho® Potato Truck tour team and builder of three other unique tiny home properties. The energy-efficient, eco-conscious tuber is styled to allow for comfort, privacy and amenities like power outlets, a mini fridge, old records to play and a custom-built bed. A spa retreat, which is a recycled silo located close by, contains a giant tub with a skylight for star-gazing, a fireplace and heated floors. For those missing their pets, the property has a jersey cow named Dolly who just might be the friendliest cow you’ll ever meet!
About the Idaho Potato Commission
Established in 1937, the Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) is a state agency that is responsible for promoting and protecting the famous “Grown in Idaho®” seal, a federally registered trademark that assures consumers they are purchasing genuine, top-quality Idaho® potatoes. Idaho’s growing season of warm days and cool nights, ample mountain-fed irrigation and rich volcanic soil, give Idaho® potatoes their unique texture, taste and dependable performance. These ideal growing conditions are what differentiate Idaho® potatoes from potatoes grown in other states. For more information, visit www.idahopotato.com.
