A luxury Paris restaurant that Serena Williams publicly accused of denying her family a table has provided its side of the story .
On Monday, Williams took to social media to put The Peninsula Paris on blast, alleging that she and her children weren’t allowed to eat on the rooftop of the establishment despite there being no diners in attendance at the time.
“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,” she wrote on X alongside an image of the restaurant’s plaque.
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It didn’t take long for the Peninsula team to hit back at Williams’ accusations. In a message directly addressed to the 23-time Grand Slam winner, the restaurant wrote: “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.
“We have always been honored to welcome you and will always be to welcome you again.”
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Fans online swiftly shared their opinions on the social media scuffle, with many taking Williams’ side. “Imagine turning Serena Williams away from an EMPTY restaurant? For shame!” one X user wrote, with another adding: “lol it’s Serena Williams, you find a table.”
Someone else believed Peninsula’s apology was insincere, writing: “We don’t believe you especially if that sentiment wasn’t relayed at the time of the incident. Exceptional people deserve exceptional service even in less than exceptional places such as The Peninsula Paris.”
Troves of people came to the defense of the restaurant, however, asserting that it did the right thing by turning away Williams. “Dear Peninsula Paris, You did not have to do this but thank you for keeping regular customers' reservations instead of caving in to an entitled celebrity's grifting complaint on social media. She should have made a reservation like everyone else,” a fourth wrote.
Another added: “Kudos for such a prompt response to an American Billionaire. You showed you value hospitality, manners, and customer service. With over 15 million visitors that have descended upon Paris for the Olympics, I commend you for outstanding customer service!!!”
Over the last several days, Williams has been seen enjoying the Olympics from the stands with her family, including her six-year-old daughter Olympia. The 42-year-old additionally played a role in the Paris Games’ opening ceremony last month, floating down the famous River Seine alongside fellow tennis legends Rafael Nadal, Carl Lewis and Nadia Comaneci.
Reliving the ceremony on X, Williams wrote: “Have you ever had an unforgettable moment? That was yesterday for me. Truly unforgettable. From being part of an amazing Open Ceremony at the Paris Olympics-to riding in the boat in the rain-and it was pouring! So much so my lashes came right on off. Unforgettable!”
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