Serena Williams denied entry at Paris hotel? Icon shares ordeal
Retired tennis superstar Serena Williams expressed her disappointment on X/Twitter after she and her two children, Alexis Olympia Jr. (6), and Adira River (11 months), were denied a table at The Peninsula Hotel's restaurant in Paris. The incident took place on Monday (August 5). Williams wrote, "Yikes @PeninsulaParis I've been denied access to the rooftop to eat in an empty restaurant of nicer places but never with my kids (sic)."
This is how netizens reacted to Williams's complaint
After the post went viral, many fans accused the hotel of racism. "You should claim racism and get someone fired," one person wrote, while another noted, "It doesn't matter how much money you have. Racism doesn't care bro." However, not everyone sided with Williams, with some accusing her of acting like an entitled "celebrity." "BREAKING NEWS: Celebrity told 'no,'" one user commented, while another wrote, "I'm a celebrity, kick a regular person out so I can eat."
'Please accept our deepest apologies...': Hotel responded to Williams's complaint
The Peninsula Hotel responded to Williams's post on social media, explaining the circumstances behind the denial of service. The hotel stated that their rooftop bar was fully booked and the unoccupied tables belonged to their gourmet restaurant, L'Oiseau Blanc, which was also fully reserved. "Dear Mrs. Williams, Please accept our deepest apologies for the disappointment you encountered tonight," read the company's initial reply. A second post followed: "We have always been honored to welcome you and will always be."
Employee's account of Williams's restaurant incident
An employee at L'Oiseau Blanc provided further insight into the incident involving Williams. According to them, Williams appeared "unrecognizable" when she arrived at the restaurant with another woman and a stroller. He explained that there were only two tables available which had been reserved by hotel clients. The employee who didn't recognize Williams feels terrible but had told her what he would have told any other client: to wait downstairs in the bar for a table to become available.
