Paris hotel hits back after Serena Williams claims she was denied access to 'empty' rooftop restaurant

PARIS, FRANCE: Tennis legend Serena Williams is a four-time Olympic gold medallist and a global tennis royalty. That did not, however, stop a Paris restaurant from denying her entry.

The 42-year-old retired tennis icon resorted to X (formerly Twitter) to criticize a five-star hotel in Paris for refusing her family access to its rooftop restaurant. She claimed it was completely empty at the time of her arrival.

Serena Williams slams Paris restaurant that 'denied access' to her and her family

On Monday, August 5, 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams took issue with a five-star hotel in Paris, claiming she and her children were "denied access" to the establishment's rooftop restaurant.

Williams expressed her displeasure with how her visit to the Peninsula Hotel, previously known as Hotel Majestic, transpired and made a public complaint about the treatment she experienced there.

"Yikes @peninsulaparis I’ve been denied access to rooftop to eat in a empty restaurant of nicer places … but never with my kids," Williams wrote, before adding, "Always a first," with a hashtag for the Olympics.

Williams also uploaded a picture of the hotel's logo so that her fans would know which business she was referring to.

The mother of two—who is married to Alexis Ohanian and has two young girls named Adira and Olympia—did not say if Ohanian was around them when the incident happened.

Williams carried a torch during last month's opening ceremonies in the French capital of Paris. She was also seen supporting the US gymnastics team at their July 30 championship alongside Nicole Kidman and Natalie Portman.

Willimas was one of several prominent figures in attendance alongside Rafael Nadal, Carl Lewis, and Nadia Comaneci aboard a boat for the opening ceremony of the Games on July 26, per Daily Mail.

The retired tennis icon called the event "unforgettable," saying that she experienced everything from being a part of the incredible Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony to riding on the boat in torrential rain. She joked on X, "So much so my lashes came right on off."

The Peninsula Paris responds to Serena Williams

Subsequently, the Peninsula Hotel shared on X that it regretted declining Serena Williams. "Dear Mrs Williams, Please accept our deepest apologies for the disappointment you encountered tonight," they wrote.

They also gave a reason as to why there were empty tables there when she arrived, "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 quickly followed it up with a message about welcoming her again despite this fiasco, "We have always been honored to welcome you and will always be to welcome you again. The Peninsula Paris," the Peninsula Hotel wrote in a following post.

Maxime Mannevy, a worker at the Peninsula's rooftop restaurant, told Variety that Williams appeared "unrecognizable" when she arrived on the property walking a pram beside another lady.

"When she came there were only two tables available and they had been reserved by clients of the hotel," Mannevy said, adding that she had not been at work when Williams made her visit.

"My colleague didn’t recognize her and feels terrible, but he told her what he would have told any other client, which is to wait downstairs in the bar for a table to become available. That was absolutely nothing personal," Mannevy shared as she explained why Williams could not find a seat at the establishment.

 Serena Williams gets fans' support after Paris restaurant rejection

Following what Serena Williams and her children were subjected to at the Paris hotel, X (formerly Twitter) users came together to support her.

"How does one get denied when they are Serena Williams...... lol," one user exclaimed.

A second user added, "Their loss, queen. Better doors will open for you automatically."

"You’re better off not going, their food is subpar — I’ve unfortunately had to pay for it quite a few times," remarked another.

One said, "Imagine turning Serena Williams away from an EMPTY restaurant? For shame!"

"You were denied access because they were serving prejudice. Shame on them," chimed in another.

"Sorry that happened to you. They should have been honored to have you," said one.

That said, a number of people also sided with The Peninsula Paris, and called out the Serena Williams for her sense of 'entitlement'.

A social media even attacked her using the fact that she is friends with Meghan Markle, the writer said, "She wasn't denied a table. The tables were all reserved. Obviously, she wanted someone who had made a reservation to be bumped just so she and her huge ego could be seated. She's obnoxious and entitled just like her buddy bully Meghan."

A couple of social media users also asked if Williams had reservations for the place, "In case Serena hasn't heard, the Olympics are happening in France, so everything is probably booked... did she have reservations?"

Another X user pointed out how she was told the restaurant was booked, " ….denied is a strong word. She was told they were booked. What a trouble maker."

One social media user sided with the hotel, claiming they had done nothing wrong, "Well done to the hotel. Olympics season in Paris and tables booked for customers. Why should they bump someone else off a table to allow her sit. Make a booking the next time Serena."

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