No one expects a world-renowned athlete to be denied entry to a restaurant, but in 2024, tennis powerhouse Serena Williams was denied entry at the opulent French hotel rooftop The Peninsula Paris.
She took to X, formally known as Twitter, to blast the eatery.
“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,” she tweeted.
Peninsula Paris responded with an apology.
“Dear Mrs. Williams, Please accept our deepest apologies for the disappointment you encountered tonight,” the establishment wrote in the comments.
“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 venue continued. “We have always been honored to welcome you and will always be to welcome you again”
Let’s take a spin, shall we?
I wouldn’t have given this restaurant an ounce of publicity even if it was bad. Instead, Serena Williams could’ve posted a photo with some staff at a different restaurant to her 29 million social media followers. Maybe with a caption thanking them for their hospitality or maybe some candid paparazzi shots in front of the restaurant for a more natural approach. This way The Peninsula Paris may regret missing out on this grand opportunity for exposure.
Spin City 
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