Serena Williams and family reportedly denied entry to French restaurant, hotel forced to issue apology

A luxury Parisian hotel was forced to apologize to Serena Williams and her family after the retired American tennis player was reportedly denied entry to the hotel’s rooftop restaurant.

“Yikes @peninsulaparis I’ve been denied access to rooftop to eat in a empty restaurant of nicer places but never with my kids. Always a first,” Williams wrote on X Monday.

Williams, 42, has been in Paris with her husband Alexis Ohanian, and their two daughters Olympia, 6, and Adira, 10 months, since the start of the 2024 Olympics.

The four-time Olympic gold medalist was involved in this year’s Olympic torch relay as the torch made its way from the Seine to the Olympic Cauldron. During her segment, she was joined by Rafael Nadal, Carl Lewis, and Nadia Comăneci.

PARIS, FRANCE – JUNE 23: Serena Williams walks the runway during Vogue World: Paris at Place Vendome on June 23, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Marc Piasecki/Getty Images for Vogue)

Following more than a week of games, Williams attempted to dine at the rooftop restaurant of the Peninsula Paris, a five-star hotel whose restaurant offers a view of the Eiffel Tower.

However, when she arrived, Williams claimed she and her family were denied entry despite what she called an “empty restaurant.”

As many fans reached out to show their support, so did the Peninsula Paris.

“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’s response read.

“We have always been honored to welcome you and will always be to welcome you again,” they concluded.

Although Williams has yet to reply, many are unsure how to take the hotel’s response. Some insisted “you make a table for her!” while others believed “she owes your team the apology.”