Chef-Driven Hotel Brand Appellation to Open Urban Resort in Morgan Hill, Silicon Valley’s Next Culinary Capital

Morgan Hill, California (August 14, 2024) – Appellation, the groundbreaking culinary-first hotel brand by celebrated American chef Charlie Palmer and luxury hospitality veteran Christopher Hunsberger, joins forces with visionary vintner Frank Léal of Léal Hospitality to announce Hotel MOHI by Appellation. Set to debut in fall 2025 in Silicon Valley’s charming Downtown Morgan Hill, the opening will mark the first full-service luxury boutique hotel in the destination.  

Léal Hospitality has established Morgan Hill as a bourgeoning food and wine scene for Northern California, with epicurean-focused locations like MOHI Farm, Léal Vineyards, and MOHI Ranch, among others. Appellation’s foray into the community takes the Morgan Hill guest experience to another level. The 76-key, five-story Hotel MOHI by Appellation will offer unmatched accommodations for exploration and discovery of this vibrant town. As one of the pioneers behind the transformation of the Sonoma County Wine Region, Charlie Palmer now has his sights set on putting Morgan Hill on the map in a similar fashion. 

“Our vision for Appellation is to uncover lesser-known culinary destinations by opening hotels in locales like Morgan Hill,” notes Appellation co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Charlie Palmer. “Appellation hotels are meant to express the essence of the place with a sense of ‘here.’ Like the rest of our portfolio, we will be truly embedding food and beverage into every aspect of Hotel MOHI by Appellation, from design to programming.” 

Hotel MOHI by Appellation will be thoughtfully designed as the ultimate urban retreat for exploring Morgan Hills’ walkable downtown area – whose lively restaurant scene, boutique shops, cozy cafes and historic buildings are complemented by the surrounding Santa Clara County vineyards. Intentionally positioned at 4.5 stars with approachable luxury in mind, Hotel MOHI by Appellation will feature world-class service with a suite of modern amenities and experiences, while also intimately immersing guests in the local evcommunity.  

At the heart of the hotel will be a 215-seat signature Charlie Palmer restaurant and bar, sourcing from on-site gardens, Léal Hospitality’s estates and other local purveyors. The hotel plans to produce key ingredients from scratch, including roasting small-batch coffee and making olive oil with olive trees grown on the premises. 

“Frank Léal is a beloved pillar of the community. Leveraging his long-time commitment to Morgan Hill and to farm fresh, locally sourced dining will be key to the success of Hotel MOHI by Appellation,” says Appellation co-founder and Chief Operating Officer Christopher Hunsberger. “His establishments have long drawn in crowds from the greater Silicon Valley area, and we are excited to start bringing wider, much-deserved attention to the region with Hotel MOHI by Appellation.” 

Additional hotel amenities will include a serene terrace pool and deck with lush greenery complete with a tucked-away pocket bar, a marketplace and flower shop lounge, and a café and bakery that transitions into a cocktail and wine bar in the evenings. The state-of-the-art, wine-country-inspired spa and fitness club will boast five treatment rooms offering olive scrub treatments, salt cleansing massages and a sauna room.  

Hotel MOHI by Appellation’s 7,730 square-feet ballroom will have the capacity to host up to 500 people, representing the single largest indoor event space in Morgan Hill. The ballroom will also provide a modern organic design flex space that can open to a show-kitchen for live action culinary experiences. With an additional 1,861 square-feet of dedicated indoor function space, Hotel MOHI by Appellation will offer the most premium accommodations of any competitive luxury resorts or wineries in the region.  

“Léal Hospitality’s existing portfolio of Morgan Hill-based venues currently host more than 65,000 annual guests across 400 weddings and events per year, and we are consistently forced to turn away 50 percent of inquiries due to limitations in venue space and surrounding lodging accommodations,” remarks Frank Léal, Owner, Léal Hospitality. “Our partnership to create Hotel MOHI by Appellation will allow us to accommodate a wider array of meetings and celebrations, solidifying Morgan Hill’s position as a major hub for gatherings in Silicon Valley and the surrounding wine country.” 

With the addition of Hotel MOHI by Appellation, the Appellation brand continues to carve a name for itself in several iconic destinations. The brand will continue a steady stream of new-build openings with Appellation Healdsburg next year, followed by Appellation Sun Valley, Appellation Petaluma and Appellation Pacific Grove. 

For more information, please visit appellationhotels.com. 

About Appellation 

Appellation, meaning “to give a name to a place,” crafts unparalleled culinary-centered places of hospitality that immerse guests in the uniquely local aspects of exceptional destinations. The first hotel brand born from the merger of culinary and hospitality, Appellation is about comfort and connection over formality and extravagance – perfectly blending luxury amenities with real world experiences born of this place. The company is the vision of co-founders Charlie Palmer, one of America’s best-known chefs who arguably created the successful hotel restaurant model, and Christopher Hunsberger, who spent over 30 years in strategic leadership roles with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. When the first Appellation hotels open in Healdsburg (CA), Morgan Hill (CA), Sun Valley (ID), Petaluma (CA), Pacific Grove (CA), they will set a new standard for immersion in culinary, culture and community that can only be found “here.” To learn more, visit www.appellationhotels.com.