A 100-Year-Old Mill. A River That Wraps the House. A Water Wheel Still Turning | The Millhouse

This Rent In Highlands vacation rental home is pet friendly for one small dog, under 50 pounds. Pets must be pre-approved. An additional non-refundable pet fee is required and is not included in the rental fee. Please call our office for approval and to pay the pet  fee. Failure to adhere to this policy will result in a $1000.00 fine.

Only adults (25 years old and older) may reserve this property and an adult must occupy the property at all times.

What is The 100 Collection™?

The 100 Collection™ imprint on a property indicates it is part of a collaborative effort to set the gold standard for vacation rentals. The professionals caring for these properties must meet the highest hospitality standards. Additionally, properties in this collection must pass specific quality, safety, and cleanliness inspections. Only locally owned and/or operated vacation rental brands are invited to be considered for this stamp of approval, which is issued by a trusted peer-to-peer collective of leading industry owners and managers.

There is no other property like this one.

A century-old mill, completely renovated, sitting where the Cullasaja River curves around it like it was always meant to hold the house in place. Mirror Lake spills over the spillway just beyond the deck. Native rhododendron and mountain laurel press in close on every side. Two canoes wait at the water's edge. A goldfish pond catches the light near the lower porch. And a water wheel — an actual, working water wheel — turns slowly in the current while the river runs underneath the house and the sound of moving water follows you from room to room, level to level, porch to porch.

This is not a vacation rental with water views. This is a home built into the water itself, surrounded by over a century of history and more natural beauty than most people encounter in a lifetime of travel.

History You Can Actually Feel  - The mill has been here since before anyone on your trip was born, and the renovation that brought it into the present was done with the kind of care that preserves what makes old things irreplaceable. The bones are original. The kitchen is modern. The family room and den are generous and comfortable. The primary bedroom on the main level offers its own fireplace and a sitting area with views of the river and the rhododendron beyond — the kind of room you describe to people afterward and watch their expressions change as they realize what you're actually talking about.

Three screened porches across three levels. A large open deck beside the river. A covered upper porch wrapping two sides of the house over the water. A private deck off the main bedroom. A balcony for two upstairs. This house has more ways to be outside — and more reasons to be — than almost any property in the Highlands area.

Room for Everyone, Porches for All of Them Four bedrooms on the upper level — three private rooms with river and nature views, plus a bunk room with four bunk beds for younger travelers who will spend the trip convinced they have the best beds in the house — give large families and groups the space to spread out without anyone losing the sound of the river. The main level primary suite with its fireplace and private deck handles the adults who need something quieter. The lower level adds additional private spaces for reading, relaxing, and sitting beside a goldfish pond that overlooks Mirror Lake as if that's simply a normal thing to have outside your window.

It is not a normal thing. Nothing about this property is normal. That's entirely the point.

The Outdoor Life Here is Unmatched. Start at the open deck just off the dining room — river beside you, outdoor dining set ready, the spillway audible from your chair. Move to the screened main-level porch when the sun shifts, where plush furniture and a direct connection to the den make it the natural afternoon landing spot. Let the evening find its way to the fire pit at the front of the house, where the river sounds carry across the yard and the stars over the Highlands mountains earn their reputation.

Two canoes. A river full of current. Mirror Lake full of fish. A water wheel marking time. The Cullasaja wrapping the house on its way downstream. The rhododendron blooming in season around every corner.

You could go hiking. You could drive to town for dinner. You could do all the things people come to Highlands to do. Or you could simply stay here, where the river is the activity and the water wheel is the entertainment and the sound of rushing water makes every other plan feel slightly less urgent than it did when you arrived.

Downtown Highlands is minutes away when you need it. The river isn't going anywhere.

What our guests are saying…

"Great home, minutes from downtown Highlands, but very private with the sound of the spillway and the river flowing around the property. Enjoyed the firepit overlooking the spillway of Mirror Lake and had fun fishing. Very comfortable for adults, teens, and children." - Rent In Highlands Vacation Rental Guest, Carl

Rent In Highlands Vacation Rental Cancellation Policy

Policy (A)  for reservations less than 20 days:
A reservation canceled between 0-45 days prior to arrival is not eligible to receive a refund. If more than 45 days notice is given, the renter shall receive a refund of all payments made, less a cancellation fee of 10% of the Total Cost of the Reservation.

Policy (B) for reservations of 20 days or more and reservations made 6 months in advance:
NO refund is given unless the property is re-rented under the same terms (Trip insurance is available and recommended to help protect your trip).

Special Amenities:

Firepit
1 Wood Burning Fireplace
2 Gas Fireplaces
1 Canoe
Screen Porch
Water View

Please note: The "swimming pool" amenity refers to access to the Highlands Recreation Center pool, a short drive from the property — not a private pool on-site.

This home is professionally managed by Rent in Highlands, a division of Country Club Properties. Your premier source for Vacation Rentals in Highlands NC.