Renowned tennis champion Serena Williams sparked a social media controversy after being denied access to the rooftop restaurant at the luxury Peninsula Paris hotel. Williams shared her experience on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “Yikes @peninsulaparis I’ve been denied access to rooftop to eat in an empty restaurant…never with my kids.”
The Peninsula Paris responded promptly, apologizing for the disappointment and explaining the situation. “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.”
The hotel further explained that they had offered Williams an alternative table downstairs at La Terrasse Kléber. A staff member, Maxime Mannevy, revealed that Williams arrived looking “unrecognizable” and was not initially recognized by the staff. Mannevy stated, “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.”
The incident sparked mixed reactions on social media, with some users supporting Williams and criticizing the hotel for not accommodating her. Others argued that Williams should not have expected special treatment. One user commented, “Elites publicly whining about not getting VIP service is so dystopian…”
Williams, who has won four Olympic gold medals, had previously shared a positive experience on X after participating in the Paris Olympics’ opening ceremony as one of the torchbearers. She wrote, “Have you ever had an unforgettable moment? That was yesterday for me. Truly unforgettable.”
The Peninsula Paris reiterated their apology and respect for Williams, stating, “We have always been honored to welcome you and will always be happy to welcome you again.” The hotel emphasized that they try to accommodate walk-in guests but sometimes cannot due to full bookings.