Serena Williams has received an apology from The Peninsula Paris, a luxury hotel, following a social media post in which she expressed frustration at being denied access to its fully booked restaurant. On August 5, Williams took to social media to complain that she and her family were turned away from the restaurant despite it being empty, stating, “Yikes @peninsulaparis I’ve been denied access to rooftop to eat in an empty restaurant of nicer places but never with my kids. Always a first.”
The post, which garnered over 4 million views, prompted a swift response from the hotel. The Peninsula Paris issued a statement apologizing for the incident, explaining that the rooftop bar was fully booked and the only available tables belonged to their gourmet restaurant, L’Oiseau Blanc, which was also reserved. The hotel further assured, “Dear Mrs. Williams, Please accept our deepest apologies for the disappointment you encountered tonight… We have always been honored to welcome you and will always be to welcome you again.”
Williams, a four-time Olympic gold medallist, had been in Paris for the Olympics, where she was a torchbearer during the opening ceremony and attended various events, including gymnastics competitions. Despite the incident, Williams shared a positive experience from the opening ceremony, reflecting on social media,
“Have you ever had an unforgettable moment? That was yesterday for me. Truly unforgettable… from being part of an amazing Open Ceremony at the Paris Olympics — to riding in the boat in the rain — and it was pouring! So much so my lashes came right on off. Unforgettable!”
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
