Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements Consolidating Statement of income (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Royalty fees	$ 247,240	$ 230,096	$ 217,984
Initial franchise and relicensing fees	13,557	9,295	12,916
Procurement services	17,619	17,207	17,598
Marketing and reservation	349,036	329,246	305,379
Other items, net	11,341	10,232	10,301
Total revenues	638,793	596,076	564,178
Selling, general and administrative	106,404	94,540	99,237
Marketing and reservation	349,036	329,246	305,379
Other items, net	11,490	11,528	11,489
Total operating expenses	466,930	435,314	416,105
Operating Income (Loss)	171,863	160,762	148,073
Interest expense	12,939	6,680	4,414
Equity In Earnings Of Consolidated Subsidiaries	0	0	0
Other Items, net	867	(4,129)	(6,975)
Other income and expenses, net	13,806	2,551	(2,561)
Income before income taxes	158,057	158,211	150,634
Income taxes	47,661	50,770	52,384
Net income	110,396	107,441	98,250
Parent Company [Member]
Royalty fees	219,699	205,668	195,893
Initial franchise and relicensing fees	13,439	9,295	12,916
Procurement services	17,619	17,207	17,598
Marketing and reservation	298,797	283,769	260,385
Other items, net	6,341	6,028	5,535
Total revenues	555,895	521,967	492,327
Selling, general and administrative	107,520	96,451	98,885
Marketing and reservation	310,677	298,416	275,156
Other items, net	2,824	3,578	3,679
Total operating expenses	421,021	398,445	377,720
Operating Income (Loss)	134,874	123,522	114,607
Interest expense	16,815	7,626	4,730
Equity In Earnings Of Consolidated Subsidiaries	(30,595)	(37,079)	(27,976)
Other Items, net	(789)	(501)	(263)
Other income and expenses, net	(14,569)	(29,954)	(23,509)
Income before income taxes	149,443	153,476	138,116
Income taxes	39,047	46,035	39,866
Net income	110,396	107,441	98,250
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Royalty fees	104,898	94,649	98,942
Initial franchise and relicensing fees	0	0	0
Procurement services	0	0	0
Marketing and reservation	329,831	312,882	311,756
Other items, net	4,356	4,038	4,139
Total revenues	439,085	411,569	414,837
Selling, general and administrative	92,887	83,162	89,809
Marketing and reservation	319,270	300,159	297,883
Other items, net	7,782	7,138	7,111
Total operating expenses	419,939	390,459	394,803
Operating Income (Loss)	19,146	21,110	20,034
Interest expense	(3,886)	(952)	(265)
Equity In Earnings Of Consolidated Subsidiaries	0	0	0
Other Items, net	647	(2,110)	(5,597)
Other income and expenses, net	(3,239)	(3,062)	(5,862)
Income before income taxes	22,385	24,172	25,896
Income taxes	8,023	3,113	10,875
Net income	14,362	21,059	15,021
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Royalty fees	34,491	30,035	25,608
Initial franchise and relicensing fees	118	0	0
Procurement services	0	0	0
Marketing and reservation	18,555	16,349	14,336
Other items, net	644	166	627
Total revenues	53,808	46,550	40,571
Selling, general and administrative	17,845	15,183	13,002
Marketing and reservation	17,236	14,425	13,438
Other items, net	884	812	699
Total operating expenses	35,965	30,420	27,139
Operating Income (Loss)	17,843	16,130	13,432
Interest expense	10	6	(8)
Equity In Earnings Of Consolidated Subsidiaries	0	0	0
Other Items, net	1,009	(1,518)	(1,158)
Other income and expenses, net	1,019	(1,512)	(1,166)
Income before income taxes	16,824	17,642	14,598
Income taxes	591	1,622	1,643
Net income	16,233	16,020	12,955
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Royalty fees	(111,848)	(100,256)	(102,459)
Initial franchise and relicensing fees	0	0	0
Procurement services	0	0	0
Marketing and reservation	(298,147)	(283,754)	(281,098)
Other items, net	0	0	0
Total revenues	(409,995)	(384,010)	(383,557)
Selling, general and administrative	(111,848)	(100,256)	(102,459)
Marketing and reservation	(298,147)	(283,754)	(281,098)
Other items, net	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	(409,995)	(384,010)	(383,557)
Operating Income (Loss)	0	0	0
Interest expense	0	0	(43)
Equity In Earnings Of Consolidated Subsidiaries	30,595	37,079	27,976
Other Items, net	0	0	43
Other income and expenses, net	30,595	37,079	27,976
Income before income taxes	(30,595)	(37,079)	(27,976)
Income taxes	0	0	0
Net income	$ (30,595)	$ (37,079)	$ (27,976)