Serena Williams is serving up a racket of drama in Paris, and this time, it’s not on the tennis court. The retired tennis superstar, who’s been dazzling the City of Lights during the 2024 Olympics, recently took to X (formerly Twitter) to air her grievances against The Peninsula Paris. Apparently, the rooftop restaurant at this posh Parisian spot was playing hard to get with Serena and her family.
“Whoa there @peninsulaparis,” Serena tweeted on August 5. “I got the ol’ ‘sorry, no entry’ routine to your rooftop restaurant even though it was emptier than my fridge after a midnight snack binge. And get this—I’ve never been turned away with my kids before. Must be a new record! 🙄 #Olympic2024” She even shared a pic of her outside the venue, looking less than thrilled.
The Peninsula Paris didn’t exactly ace their response but tried to smooth things over. “Dear Mrs. Williams, our sincerest apologies for the mix-up,” they tweeted back. “Our rooftop bar was as packed as a can of sardines, and those empty tables? They’re for our high-end L’Oiseau Blanc restaurant, which was fully booked. We promise it wasn’t a tennis match we were trying to dodge.”
In their follow-up tweet, they served up an extra helping of flattery: “We’ve always been delighted to have you, and we’ll continue to roll out the red carpet for you anytime. The Peninsula Paris.”
So, it looks like Serena’s next visit might come with a side of VIP treatment—just as long as the rooftop isn’t as elusive as her lost tennis balls!
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 Peninsula Paris (@peninsulaparis) August 5, 2024
