The Harkness Hotel

The Harkness was once the McCammon State Bank building – it still features the original mouldings, doors and floors, and the vault is now a hotel gift shop.

In a small town in rural Idaho (population approx. 805), in a statuesque turn-of-the-century building, lies the Harkness. Dedicated to a concept of “unexpected luxury”, this family-run boutique hotel combines original historic charm with gleaming modern luxury. Renovated with crystal chandeliers (including a custom-made lobby fixture with over 1,000 individual pieces), quartz fittings and imported Portuguese tiles, the hotel retains its 1906 mouldings and wooden floors – an opulent hideaway tucked away within the vast plains and mountains of Idaho.

Rooms are bright and spacious, with some furniture crafted from original lumber discovered during construction. Jewel-toned patterned wallpaper and halogen spotlights enhance the hotel’s natural sense of historic elegance, offering a distinctively modern twist. Skylights throughout let in a stream of natural light – and after all, Idaho has skies to spare. 

Remote rural town or not, one perk of staying at the Harkness is the well-equipped on-site spa and salon. It offers an impressively comprehensive list of treatments, from Swedish massage to facial peels and Brazilian blowouts – everything you need to relax and rejuvenate, a. in peace and b. with style. There is also a boutique gift shop located in the building’s original vault (so you have no excuse not to buy a souvenir or two).

With surroundings this scenic, it’s even more tempting to get outside than it is to stay inside. The Harkness Hotel lies ten minutes’ drive from Lava Hot Springs, with its wealth of indoor and outdoor bubbling pools and its zipline adventure amenities. It is also just 20 minutes in the car from the Pebble Creek Ski Area – a small ski resort with an impressive 670 metres of vertical descent.