Serena Williams and family reportedly denied entry to French restaurant, hotel forced to issue apology

After it was claimed that former American tennis player Serena Williams was refused access to the hotel’s rooftop restaurant, a posh Parisian hotel was compelled to issue an apology to Williams and her family.

“Hell no, @peninsulaparis I’ve been turned away from better establishments’ rooftops where I would have liked to eat, but never with my children. X Monday, Williams wrote, “Always a first.”

Since the beginning of the 2024 Olympics, Williams, 42, has been in Paris with her spouse Alexis Ohanian and their two daughters, Olympia, 6, and Adira, 10 months.

The four-time gold medallist at the Olympics participated in the torch relay this year, which carried the torch from the Seine to the Olympic Cauldron. Nadia Comăneci, Carl Lewis, and Rafael Nadal joined her throughout her section.

Williams tried to eat at the rooftop restaurant of the Peninsula Paris, a five-star hotel with a view of the Eiffel Tower, after more than a week of games.

Williams, however, stated that despite what she described as a “empty restaurant,” she and her family were refused admittance when they arrived.

The Peninsula Paris extended their support to as many fans as possible.

Greetings, Mrs. WilliamsWe sincerely apologize for the disappointment you had this evening. The hotel’s answer was, “Unfortunately, our rooftop bar was in fact fully booked and the only empty tables you saw belonged to our gourmet restaurant, L’Oiseau Blanc, which was fully reserved.”

They said, “It has always been an honor to welcome you, and it will always be to welcome you again.”

Many are unclear of how to interpret the hotel’s reaction, even if Williams has not yet responded. “You set up a table for her,” exclaimed some, while “She ought to apologize to your team,” held the opinion of others.