Is Morgan Hill the Next Sonoma or Healdsburg?

The Granada Hotel will be the first hotel in downtown, if approved by the city council.

MORGAN HILL, CA—If the crowds are overwhelming in the Wine Country, on the coast or in Yosemite, Morgan Hill might be the next big destination for Bay Area weekenders. A new mixed-use development will target Silicon Valley business travelers, plus the growing tourism trade developing around the city’s emerging wine industry and sports. And, the centerpiece, the Granada Hotel , a four-story boutique hotel with 60 guest rooms, was just unanimously approved by the city’s planning commission. The project now moves on to the city council for final approval. Granada Hotel’s owner, Frank Leal , is renovating the neighboring Granada Theater . Leal is a regional veteran of the hospitality industry and the owner of Leal Vineyards in Hollister, CA, Sycamore Creek Vineyards and Willow Heights Mansion in Morgan Hill. The project is being designed by KTGY Architecture + Planning . According to Manny Gonzalez , FAIA, LEED AP and principal with KTGY, “The Granada Hotel and the adjacent theater will serve as downtown Morgan Hill’s centerpiece and will create a new anchor to the ‘Main Street retail area’ attracting local residents and tourism to the revitalizing neighborhood.” The development site is located at the corner of Monterey and East 1st streets. It is immediately adjacent to the Granada Theater towards the south and single-family residences to the east. Multiple restaurants are within walking distance of the hotel, which would be the first hospitality property in the downtown area. Gonzalez tells GlobeSt.com: “The project responds to the city’s long-time goal to revitalize this downtown neighborhood with hotel use and boost tourism. We anticipate that the new development will fuel the addition of more restaurants and entertainment venues.” The full-service hotel will also feature a large conference room, vintage wine bar, spa and fitness center, banquet hall and valet service. Guests of the hotel will also enjoy a pool and deck, communal outdoor living room and lounge areas, and a rooftop garden that will be used to grown organic vegetables for the hotel’s restaurant. KTGY senior project manager and designer Alexander Catala tells GlobeSt.com: “We think that Morgan Hill is right on the brink of becoming the next Sonoma or Healdsburg, and will be a popular food and wine destination. Granada Hotel is positioned to not only capitalize on this but will be a destination itself.” The hotel also features an all-inclusive facility for weddings. A unique rehearsal dinner flex space within the florist work area where guests can dine surrounded by their wedding flowers is among the specialized amenities. Guests will also be able to sample and select a menu from the best chefs in the high-end food market. A high-heel friendly turf lawn allows flexibility to accommodate outdoor wedding ceremonies and other events. Located in Santa Clara County in South Silicon Valley, Morgan Hill is home to award-winning wineries, pick-your-own farms, lakes, golf courses and many other attractions and events. Residents and visitors enjoy world-class recreational facilities such as the Outdoor Sports Recreation Center , which hosts more than 30 events per year drawing in excess of 650,000 local, regional and national visitors for soccer, lacrosse, football, rugby, filed hockey and Ultimate Frisbee.  The Aquatics Center hosts numerous meets per year, drawing more than 60,000 visitors for summer recreation swim.