The Peninsula Paris hotel did not allow rooftop dinner to Serena Williams: Serena takes the issue to social media

A luxury hotel in Paris has issued an apology to tennis legend Serena Williams after she took to social media to complain that she and her family were turned away from its restaurant on Monday.

“Yikes @peninsulaparis I’ve been denied access to the rooftop to eat in an empty restaurant of nicer places but never with my kids. Always a first,” Serena wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Serena, a four-time Olympic gold medallist, was one of the torchbearers during the Paris Games’ opening ceremony. She is also among the celebrities attending the Games to watch U.S. gymnastics star Simone Biles compete.

Serena’s post quickly gained traction, with more than 4 million views.

The Peninsula Paris, a five-star hotel known for its gourmet restaurant with a view of the Eiffel Tower, responded swiftly: “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.”

In a follow-up message, the hotel added: “We have always been honoured to welcome you and will always be ready to welcome you again.”

Responses to Serena’s post were mixed; some supporters argued that the restaurant should have made room for her, while others contended that celebrities do not have more rights to a fully booked restaurant than anyone else.

Serena had expressed much more positivity after the Games’ July 26 opening ceremony, posting on X: “Have you ever had an unforgettable moment? That was yesterday for me. Truly unforgettable. From being part of an amazing Opening Ceremony at the Paris Olympics to riding in the boat in the rain—and it was pouring! So much so my lashes came right off. Unforgettable!”