A luxury Parisian hotel had to apologize to Serena Williams and her family after the retired American tennis star was reportedly refused entry to the hotel’s rooftop restaurant.
“Yikes @peninsulaparis I’ve been denied access to rooftop to eat in a empty restaurant of nicer places but never with my kids. Always a first,” Williams posted on X Monday.
Yikes @peninsulaparis I’ve been denied access to rooftop to eat in a empty restaurant of nicer places 🫠 but never with my kids. Always a first. 🙄#Olympic2024 pic.twitter.com/lEGJR5WoEn
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) August 5, 2024
Williams, 42, has been in Paris with her husband Alexis Ohanian and their two daughters, Olympia, 6, and Adira, 10 months, since the beginning of the 2024 Olympics.
The four-time Olympic gold medalist participated in this year’s Olympic torch relay, carrying the torch from the Seine to the Olympic Cauldron. During her segment, she was accompanied by Rafael Nadal, Carl Lewis, and Nadia Comăneci.
After more than a week of Olympic events, Williams tried to dine at the rooftop restaurant of the Peninsula Paris, a five-star hotel with views of the Eiffel Tower.
However, upon arrival, Williams claimed that she and her family were refused entry, despite the restaurant being what she described as “empty.”
As many fans expressed their support, the Peninsula Paris also reached out.
“Dear Mrs. Williams, Please accept our deepest apologies for the disappointment you encountered tonight. Unfortunately, our rooftop bar was indeed fully booked and the only unoccupied tables you saw belonged to our gourmet restaurant, L’Oiseau Blanc, which was fully reserved,” the hotel’s response stated.
“We have always been honored to welcome you and will always be to welcome you again,” they added.
Although Williams has not yet responded, opinions on the hotel’s reply vary.
What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments.
