The Peninsula Paris has issued an apology following an incident involving retired tennis star Serena Williams and her family. On Monday, August 5, Williams took to social media to express her frustration after she and her children were denied entry to the hotel's rooftop restaurant.
Williams shared her experience on X (formerly known as Twitter), revealing that despite the restaurant appearing empty, she and her daughters—Alexis Olympia Jr., 6, and Adira River, 11 months—were not allowed to dine there. She expressed her disappointment, stating, “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. #Olympic2024.”
In response, The Peninsula Paris issued two statements to address the situation. The first statement read: “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 further clarified, “We have always been honored to welcome you and will always be to welcome you again. The Peninsula Paris.”
Maxime Mannevy, an employee at L’Oiseau Blanc, explained to Variety that Williams arrived with another woman and a stroller. Mannevy, who was not on duty at the time, mentioned that the staff member who handled the situation did not recognize Williams and mistakenly directed her to wait in the bar area for a table.
The Peninsula Paris also provided a statement to TODAY, expressing their admiration for Williams and reiterating their apology: “Today, August 5th, our rooftop bar was indeed unfortunately fully booked, and the only unoccupied tables at that time belonged to our gourmet restaurant, L’Oiseau Blanc, which was also fully reserved tonight. She has always and will always be more than welcome with her family to The Peninsula.”
This incident underscores the importance of clear communication and recognition, especially when serving high-profile guests. The Peninsula Paris aims to rectify the situation and ensure a welcoming experience for all its patrons.
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