Serena Williams sparks debate after Parisian hotel denies her family entry during Olympics

Tennis legend Serena Williams has sparked debate after she and her family were denied access to the rooftop restaurant of a prestigious Parisian hotel during the Paris Olympics.

The 42-year-old athlete took to social media to voice her frustration, sharing her experience with her followers.

“Yikes @peninsulaparis,” she tweeted on Monday. “I’ve been denied access to a rooftop to eat in an empty restaurant at nicer places, but never with my kids. Always a first. #Olympic2024. You’re Really Gonna Reject Me?!?!”

Serena included a photo of The Peninsula’s sign with her message, sparking a wave of reactions from her fans.

Many accused the hotel of racism, with comments like: “You should claim racism and get someone fired,” and: “It doesn’t matter how much money you have. Racism doesn’t care bro.”

However, not everyone sided with Serena. Some accused her of acting like an entitled “celebrity,” with one user commenting: “BREAKING NEWS: Celebrity told ‘no,'” and another writing: “I’m a celebrity, kick a regular person out so I can eat.”

he Peninsula Hotel responded to the controversy with a statement, clarifying the situation. “Dear Mrs. Williams,” they wrote.

“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.”