Appellation Brings 76-Key MOHI Hotel to Morgan Hill in 2027
The culinary-led boutique hotel will bring four dining concepts and an event focus to the emerging Silicon Valley wine destination.
Photos: Courtesy of Appellation
Appellation has announced it will open the MOHI by Appellation in 2027 in Morgan Hill, California, introducing a 76-room luxury boutique hotel positioned as the city’s first full-service high-end property. The project is a partnership between Appellation founders Charlie Palmer and Christopher Hunsberger and local developer and vintner Frank Léal, whose Léal Hospitality portfolio has been central to the area’s recent growth.
The hotel sits just south of Silicon Valley, in a corridor that has been gaining momentum as a secondary wine-and-food destination. Léal’s existing footprint—spanning vineyards, ranch properties, and event venues—has already drawn regional traffic. The MOHI is designed to formalize that demand into overnight stays, group business, and weddings, with roughly 9,500 square feet of meeting and event space planned.
The 76 keys include guest rooms and suites, many with private balconies facing the Diablo and Santa Cruz mountain ranges. A signature suite will anchor the top end of the inventory, with direct views of El Toro, a prominent local landmark.
The property will open with four distinct F&B concepts, each intended to function independently as local draws. Youngstock will focus on shareable, globally influenced small plates and plancha cooking. HOLT by Charlie Palmer is positioned as a high-touch steakhouse with a multi-course format. Nashelle will operate as an all-day café and late-night venue, while Solene will serve the pool area with lighter fare and drinks.
This approach follows Appellation’s broader model: using F&B to activate properties beyond hotel guests. In Morgan Hill, that matters. The town has an established agricultural base but limited luxury hospitality infrastructure, meaning the hotel will need to generate its own demand mix across locals, drive-in leisure, and small-group business.
Other amenities include a terrace pool with a dedicated bar, a café and bakery that transitions into an evening wine-and-cocktail space, and a spa with treatments featuring regional ingredients, including olive-based scrubs and salt therapies.
Appellation is targeting markets where a strong food identity already exists but lacks a cohesive, upscale lodging option. Morgan Hill fits that profile: close enough to Silicon Valley to capture corporate and weekend demand, but still early in its development as a wine destination.
As it stands, the MOHI is scheduled to debut in 2027, marking Appellation’s first entry into the South Silicon Valley corridor.
