Signs of normalcy in Union Square.

Applause echoed around the lobby of the Hilton Union Square in San Francisco on Monday morning as staff, from cooks to janitors to managers, lined up to welcome the first batch of guests the hotel has seen since the pandemic forced it to close 14 months ago. A group of four from Arizona entered from the back of the lobby under television screens emblazoned with the San Francisco skyline that flashed "Welcome Back." The group posed for photos with staff who formed their hands into hearts before being rushed by no less than three television news crews for interviews. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]