Serena Williams has publicly called out a luxury hotel in Paris, France, for allegedly denying her and her family a table at the establishment’s rooftop restaurant amid the 2024 Paris Olympics. The retired tennis superstar, who served as a torch bearer during the games, took to X (formerly Twitter) to share her experience at The Peninsula Paris.
Serena Williams is calling out a luxury hotel in Paris, France, claiming she and her family were denied a table the establishment”s rooftop restaurant amid the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The retired tennis superstar — who served as a torch bearer during this year”s games — took to X (formerly Twitter) on Monday to slam The Peninsula Paris, claiming they wouldn”t give her a table despite there being open tables available.
“Yikes @peninsulaparis I”ve been denied access to rooftop to eat in a empty restaurant of nicer places 🫠 but never with my kids,” Williams, 42, wrote. “Always a first. 🙄#Olympic2024.”
Williams shares two daughters with her husband, Alexis Ohanian: 6-year-old Olympia and 11-month-old Adira.
Shortly after, The Peninsula responded to Williams” tweet and claimed that they did not mean to offend her, and that they were, indeed, booked up — even if the tables appeared empty at the time.
“In response to Mrs. Williams” tweet, for whom we have the utmost admiration and respect, as we do for all our esteemed guests, we can only reiterate our deepest apologies for her perception of tonight”s situation,” the establishment said in a statement to ET on Monday.
“Today, August 5th, our rooftop bar was indeed fully booked, and the only unoccupied tables at that time belonged to our gourmet restaurant, L”Oiseau Blanc, which was also fully reserved tonight,” the statement continued. “She has always been, and will always be, more than welcome with her family at The Peninsula.” Serena Williams attends the red carpet ahead of the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 on July 26, 2024 in Paris, France. – Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
Williams is in Paris for the Olympic games, and has been spotted watching the tennis matchups alongside her husband. She was also involved in the opening ceremonies and the lighting of the Olympic torch, and has been in Paris since mid-July for the run-up to the big event