Celebrity chef Charlie Palmer and former Four Seasons exec Christopher Hunsberger share a deep love of good food, great service, and authentic experiences.
Their partnership began over 25 years ago, and the two have been collaborators in hospitality ever since. In 2016, after Hunsberger stepped back from his Four Seasons career, he and Palmer started dreaming up a new kind of hotel experience—one that blended a soothing retreat with immersive connection. Nine years (and a few hiccups) later, that vision has taken shape as an 8.5-acre reality.
As with all things Palmer, food leads the experience at Appellation Healdsburg. On arrival, guests pass through a large glass door directly into the Main House, an open concept that includes a fireplace, lounge, and sprawling patio. Check-in happens at a butcher-block counter.
Folia, Appellation Healdsburg's signature restaurant(Dylan Patrick)
“It’s intended to feel like you’re arriving in Charlie’s kitchen,” says Hunsberger. “It appeals to all the senses.” A splash of wine or a daily amuse-bouche might arrive straight from the kitchen.
The main culinary event is signature restaurant Folia, which offers a three-course prix fixe and highlights live-oak cooking with dishes like grilled Hog Island oysters, roasted duck breast, and Koginut squash pasta. Palmer’s son Reed serves as chef de cuisine, grounding the menu in innovation and comfort. Lighter fare is available in the lounge, which doubles as a morning coffee bar. There’s also Andy’s Beeline, a sultry rooftop bar that offers cocktails, wine, and original small plates against a backdrop of moody interiors and panoramic views.
Appellation’s “Crafted” program brings in local makers and artisans for classes and demonstrations ranging from interactive mixology to holiday wreath-making. The artisan ethos is found throughout the property, not just in the artwork and materials, but in the coffees, teas, and bath products, too.
“We’ve gone to great pains to work with as many people on the design team as possible who are from the area and who understand the area,” says Hunsberger. “Our Crafted classes are a way for us to bring in the local makers and artisans—the people who are the fabric of our community—and showcase them to our guests.”
The Makers Room for Appellation's Crafted program(Dylan Patrick)
It’s a warm, unpretentious luxury the Appellation team aims to bring to a handful of select West Coast destinations. While Healdsburg is the brand’s flagship property, the first Appellation to open was the reimagined Wine & Roses Resort and Spa in Lodi, which debuted in June with new culinary gardens, two Palmer restaurants, and refreshed rooms.
“Our goal is to get people in their comfort zone and then show them a great time,” says Palmer. In Healdsburg, farm wagons replace bell carts, patios open to vineyard views, and 150-year-old olive trees bring depth to shared spaces.
Hunsberger sees Appellation as a direct break from traditional luxury that’s often aloof. “We want anyone and everyone to feel welcomed in our environment,” he says. The hotel blurs the line between staff and guest, intending to feel more like the start of a convivial gathering than a hushed salon.
Beyond parties and events, the hotels promise restorative spaces. Appellation’s first two hotels feature state-of-the-art spas with plenty of attention to detail. In Lodi, a tranquil firelit lounge opens to a garden with hot and cold pools. At Healdsburg, guests are welcomed with a complimentary foot soak and encouraged to linger afterward in a shaded courtyard. Treatments run 75 minutes and are intentionally all-inclusive—there are no mid-massage add-on pricing puzzles.
A guest room at Appellation Healdsburg(Dylan Patrick)
Next up on the Appellation roster is Hotel Mohi in Morgan Hill, a rising culinary destination that’s been home to an annual Food and Wine Festival since 2024. Mohi is slated to open in early 2026.
The team is also partnering with Ameyalli Park City, a wellness-residential resort and retreat being developed by Charles Heath in collaboration with wellness guru Deepak Chopra. Inspired by 28 mineral-rich springs, it will include an Appellation hotel and restaurant, private residences, and a sprawling well-being center with mineral pools and immersive programming.
For two industry veterans, launching an entire hotel brand might seem like an Everest—but they’re all in. “It’s a big commitment building something from the ground up,” says Hunsberger. “It would have been easier to do a lot of other things, but I don’t have any regrets when I look back.”
“We’re going to be successful,” Palmer adds. “It’s just how successful and how fast.” With a recipe made up of good ideas, deep passion, and great partners, “we’re already off to a great start,” he says.
// 101 Dovetail Ln. (Healdsburg), appellationhotels.com
The pool deck at Appellation Healdsburg(Dylan Patrick)
