Tiny house hotel coming to Rocky Mount

Dubbed River & Twine, the 20-unit hotel will feature modern amenities, including full-size glass door showers, microwaves, fridges and coffee makers in all homes. There will also be complimentary high-speed internet and smart TVs in each unit.

The tiny home hotel community will include groupings of five homes, which will share amenities, including fire pits, grills, outdoor games and children's play areas.

"River & Twine will offer a one-of-a-kind experience for all visitors to Rocky Mount," Rocky Mount Mills Residential Leasing Specialist Tim Rogers said. "Whether you’re here for work, sports, recreation or simply to chill, River & Twine will be your go-to spot for a unique get away."

Modern Tiny Living and Free Spirit Tiny Homes have been contracted to build the homes, which will each have a different style.

"The tiny house movement is – at least for thousands of people – a way to unplug and rediscover who we are," said Trent Haery, chief executive of Modern Tiny Living. "The riverfront at Rocky Mount Mills is the perfect place to do that. Plus, if you’d like to plug back in, restaurants and breweries are just a short hike away."

An overnight stay will start at $129, and guests can also book extended stays of 30 days or more.

River & Twine will begin accepting reservations this fall, and it is expected to open at the end of the year.

Rocky Mount Mills also is expanding in other ways.

Fifty-one nearby mill houses have been restored and leased. David Joyner, a 34-year-old Rocky Mount native, now lives in one of the mill houses and put the offices of his marketing firm in the mill building.

"We all used to drive through here and say – and everybody would say – 'Why don't they just tear those houses down,'" Joyner said.

"I knew one day it would be developed," he said of the 19th-century cotton mill, "and I always wanted to be a part of it."

Envolve Optical, an eye-care provider, announced Wednesday that it will move its headquarters into the mill building, bringing 120 jobs to the area by August. The company has already opened a retail shop on site.

The Rocky Mount Telegram newspaper and a radio station also plan to move their offices to the complex.

"It's also very appealing to people to come into a setting that's not necessarily your contemporary office space," said Scott Roberts, general manager of Rocky Mount Mills. "It does help with the idea of being able to recruit and maintain and create energy for your company."

Capitol Broadcasting Company, the parent company of WRAL, bought the mill property in 2007 to develop into offices and homes and to attract craft beer brewers. Sixty-nine apartments planned for the complex are expected to be available by the end of the year.