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If there’s one thing about Venus Williams, it’s that she has stamina. The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion is currently playing in her 26th US Open—making more appearances than any other player in tennis history. The California-born athlete played her first professional match at just 14, meaning she’s been not just a tennis pro, but also a travel pro, for more than three decades.
With life constantly on the road, she admits that her idea of vacation is when she gets to relax at her Florida home. But that also means that she prioritizes comfort when it comes to hotels, opting for ones with a homey feel.
“I do not compromise on hotels,” the 46-year-old told Condé Nast Traveler during a pre-US Open event at The Langham, New York, Fifth Avenue. “I will compromise on my flight and sit almost anywhere, it doesn’t matter to me. But I just have to be at an amazing hotel.”
She admits that when she was younger, she was lured by the “newest, coolest, trendiest” design-forward accommodations. But now, she opts for “extremely established hotels that have amazing service”—plus a “beautiful bed.”
While she mused about her favorite city in the world being Hong Kong (she’s contemplating a fall tournament there just to revisit) and her enthusiastic passion for escape rooms (her favorites include The Escape Game, Escapology, and PanIQ, but her goal is to compete in the World Escape Room Championships. which was last in Bulgaria), Williams chose to hone in on a trip to Paris, a city that has helped her redefined her life’s priorities.
The trip
What trip are you unpacking for us?
There have been many trips to Paris Fashion Week, but let’s go back to the one in the winter of 2024, before I was married. I was going to go to one or two shows. Two, for me, is a lot. It involves a ton of getting ready. And on this trip, I took my sister Isha.
Can you tell us more about the itinerary?
I try to fit in gym sessions here and there, some tennis as well. But most of all, I know I’ll be out every night, so I have to bring clothes to be ready for my nightlife, which is extremely important.
Had you been to Paris before?
My first time in Paris, I was 16 years old playing the French Open. So in that sense, I go at least once a year. But during this time, I really wasn’t working, so I was constantly in Paris. I had this streak where I was there every month for like six months in a row. It finally broke. I was so sad. I just love Paris—it’s such a magical city for me.
What makes the city so special?
A few years before this, the French Open, which always happens in May, was in October during the pandemic. They put us in a bubble. We were only allowed to have a one-hour walk a day. So once I unfortunately did lose at the tournament. I checked myself into a luxury hotel and started shopping and partying. This was before the second shutdown. Paris became my new favorite city, as it represented freedom and choice. I hadn’t done much in my life out of the court. A friend of mine said, “You should come to the Louis Vuitton show” and I was like, “I gotta get home.” But I went to the show, and it felt like my whole life got started.
