Serena Williams says she was ‘denied access’ to a fancy bar in Paris. See the response
Serena Williams’ trip to the Olympics in Paris has been making headlines, but not for anything having to do with athletics.
At the opening ceremony, the tennis legend’s husband Alexis Ohanian was misidentified by a news commentator as her “umbrella holder.”
Now there’s a bigger scandal afoot.
On Monday night, Williams Tweeted that she’d been “denied access” to a five star eatery that was “empty” while with her kids.
“Yikes,” the Palm Beach Gardens based mother of two complained, tagging @peninsulaparis. “Always a first.”
Almost immediately, fans rallied around her, many calling for the fancy place to be boycotted.
Buried within the comments was a quasi apology from the Peninsula’s X account.
Dear Mrs. Williams, Please accept our deepest apologies for the disappointment you encountered tonight,” read the note. “Unfortunately, our rooftop bar was indeed fully booked and the only unoccupied tables you saw belonged to our gourmet restaurant, L’Oiseau Blanc [White Bird], which was fully reserved.”
After that post gained traction, followers accused Williams of acting like an entitled diva, reasoning that if a restaurant is at full capacity, it doesn’t matter how famous you are, there’s no table.
At least one astute social media user scrolled to the establishment’s website and noted that Le Rooftop bar does not take reservations.
We could see why the hot spot would likely be (eventually) crowded, even on a Monday. (For the record, it does not seem kid friendly.)
“Le Rooftop is a haven of peace, the perfect place to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the busy city,” says the description. “There’s nothing more Parisian than sipping cocktails and admiring the view of the French Capital’s most iconic monuments, including the twinkling lights of the Eiffel Tower, as the sun sets.
