The i.r. and Raman spectra of CIO;, BrO; and IO; ions matrix isolated in both Ba(CIO,),.H,O and Sr(CIO,), type host crystal lattices are studied in the X0 stretching and X0, bending mode region. The spectra obtained are an excellent probe of the local potential, as the distortion of the halate ions and the repulsive part of the lattice potential, in the lattice sites under consideration. Thus, both site group splittings of the asymmetric modes v1 and Y,+ and separations of $8, and V~ vary characteristically depending on both the guest ions and the structures of the host lattices. However, the splitting of the bands is still more sensitive to lattice site distortion than are structural data. The mean X0 stretching frequencies of the guest ions can be correlated with both the reduced cell volumina [ v,/n(XO; )] and the ratios of volume increments of the guest and the host ions (Vf/ Vf). The intraionic coupling of the stretching and bending vibrations is reduced and changed in the case of strong distortions of the X0; ions, which is much larger for Sr(CIO,), type halates than for Ba(CIO,),.H,O type compounds.