From UFOs and guitars to oversized shoes and arks, there are some very strange properties in Airbnb’s “OMG!” category that is at the center of their latest ad campaign.

Airbnb launched the category in May 2021. Over its first year, it attracted over 2.5 million views and inspired Airbnb to create a fund meant to inspire hosts to curate the quirkiest homes on the vacation rental site. While we’re still waiting to see which concepts are moving forward, we know that 100 hosts and future hosts will win $100,000 to help bring their creations to life. 

Four judges will review the originality, experience, feasibility and sustainability of each entry before making their picks. If you checked out the contest page on Airbnb, you should recognize one of those judges! Kristie Wolfe is the mastermind behind what’s now one of the rental site’s most famous properties, the Big Idaho Potato Hotel.

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When Kristie started working on the Big Idaho Potato Hotel, she already had extensive experience building unique tiny home properties like the Underground Hygge in Orondo, Washington. It’s a big favorite for Hobbit fans. 

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Her other creations like the Crystal Peak Lookout in Fernwood, Dreamy Tropical Tree House in Fern Forest, Hawaii and Cocoon Cottage in North Tenmile Lake, Oregon are quirky and fun, but her potato hotel is something special. That’s because Wolfe was one of the original members of the Tater Team that toured the United States with the six-ton potato. 

According to Airbnb, Wolfe initially invested $32,000 in the project and has earned over five times that since the potato hotel began booking guests in 2019. Its unique design and success are why it is the centerpiece of an adorable new national ad campaign for Airbnb! 

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The 30-second commercial was uploaded to Airbnb’s YouTube account in late August, but we just saw it on TV for the first time this week during Bachelor in Paradise on ABC! As a cute Dee Dee Sharp song about mashed potatoes played in the background, we were sitting on the couch yelling “That’s our potato! We know that potato!” 

Airbnb shared the story behind the adorable commercial saying:

“Keewah and her daughter left the big city of Chicago for a stay in the big country, in a big potato to be exact. And in Idaho, where potatoes are famous, it was a perfectly natural place to stay. The OMG! Category was summed up in their reaction upon first seeing the giant above-ground tuber. There was even a cow named Dolly who lived on the property and loved to eat glazed donuts, really. It provided the perfect cozy stay for these best spuds.”

If you haven’t seen it, you can watch it below:

In the final frames of the commercial, you can briefly see another “OMG!” property that we’ve featured before! The UFO Airbnb in Brush Prairie, Washington is even cooler on the inside than the outside! It’s located less than 7 hours from Boise. 

Out of This World UFO Home is Perfect for Vacationing Boise Nerds

Located less than 7 hours from Boise, this unique spaceship home in Brush Prairie, Washington is a perfect place for nerdy families to stay on the way to the Oregon Coast!

 

If you’ve never seen the Big Idaho Potato Hotel’s interior before, you can sneak a peek inside through this gallery. It also includes some snapshots of Wolfe’s Crystal Peak Lookout! 

These 9 Airbnbs Are Close To Boise And Are Absolutely Wild

 

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