Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 485,390	$ 107,057	$ 90,961	$ 91,259
Receivables, net	62,643	53,012
Total current assets	583,873	194,796
Property and equipment, at cost, net	50,561	51,992
Goodwill	65,996	66,005
Franchise rights and other identifiable intangibles, net	15,435	17,255
Receivable - marketing and reservation fees	64,838	54,014
Investments, employee benefit plans, at fair value	12,221	11,678
Deferred income taxes	22,017	22,665
Other assets	42,797	29,284
Total assets	857,738	447,689
Accounts payable	45,548	38,389
Accrued expenses	36,137	53,851
Deferred revenue	64,422	68,825
Deferred compensation and retirement plan obligations	19,276	18,935
Current portion of long-term debt	683	673
Income taxes payable	12,854	1,108
Total current liabilities	181,740	184,565
Long-term debt	651,717	252,032
Deferred compensation & retirement plan obligations	19,482	20,593
Deferred income taxes	2,820	2,784
Other liabilities	16,042	16,060
Total liabilities	868,981	473,250
Total shareholders' (deficit) equity	(11,243)	(25,561)
Total liabilities and shareholders' deficit	857,738	447,689
Parent [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	395,788	23,370	10,243	4,849
Receivables, net	54,685	44,620
Other current assets	15,297	12,190
Total current assets	465,770	80,180
Property and equipment, at cost, net	8,685	9,013
Goodwill	60,620	60,620
Franchise rights and other identifiable intangibles, net	9,875	11,061
Receivable - marketing and reservation fees	64,838	54,014
Investment in and advances to affiliates	298,571	285,996
Investments, employee benefit plans, at fair value	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Other assets	21,520	13,808
Total assets	929,879	514,692
Accounts payable	6,778	5,324
Accrued expenses	17,222	18,288
Deferred revenue	5,759	13,584
Deferred compensation and retirement plan obligations		0
Current portion of long-term debt	0	0
Income taxes payable	0
Other current liabilities	6,538	0
Total current liabilities	36,297	37,196
Long-term debt	649,475	249,443
Deferred compensation & retirement plan obligations	0	0
Deferred income taxes	6,582
Advances from affiliates	241,099	239,903
Other liabilities	14,251	13,711
Total liabilities	941,122	540,253
Total shareholders' (deficit) equity	(11,243)	(25,561)
Total liabilities and shareholders' deficit	929,879	514,692
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	266	432	372	18,659
Receivables, net	2,405	2,407
Other current assets	22,579	25,997
Total current assets	25,250	28,836
Property and equipment, at cost, net	40,738	41,755
Goodwill	5,193	5,193
Franchise rights and other identifiable intangibles, net	3,025	3,334
Receivable - marketing and reservation fees	0	0
Investment in and advances to affiliates	241,701	235,571
Investments, employee benefit plans, at fair value	12,221	11,678
Deferred income taxes	28,157	29,050
Other assets	7,832	7,538
Total assets	364,117	362,955
Accounts payable	34,495	28,831
Accrued expenses	17,249	33,584
Deferred revenue	57,849	54,582
Deferred compensation and retirement plan obligations		18,935
Current portion of long-term debt	664	654
Income taxes payable	19,276
Other current liabilities	16,216	11,404
Total current liabilities	145,749	147,990
Long-term debt	2,185	2,519
Deferred compensation & retirement plan obligations	19,475	20,587
Deferred income taxes	0
Advances from affiliates	312	468
Other liabilities	8,114	9,027
Total liabilities	175,835	180,591
Total shareholders' (deficit) equity	188,282	182,364
Total liabilities and shareholders' deficit	364,117	362,955
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	89,336	83,255	80,346	67,751
Receivables, net	5,553	5,985
Other current assets	5,137	5,226
Total current assets	100,026	94,466
Property and equipment, at cost, net	1,138	1,224
Goodwill	183	192
Franchise rights and other identifiable intangibles, net	2,535	2,860
Receivable - marketing and reservation fees	0	0
Investment in and advances to affiliates	11,021	8,323
Investments, employee benefit plans, at fair value	0	0
Deferred income taxes	442	313
Other assets	13,445	7,938
Total assets	128,790	115,316
Accounts payable	4,275	4,234
Accrued expenses	1,666	1,979
Deferred revenue	814	659
Deferred compensation and retirement plan obligations		0
Current portion of long-term debt	19	19
Income taxes payable	0
Other current liabilities	93	1,174
Total current liabilities	6,867	8,065
Long-term debt	57	70
Deferred compensation & retirement plan obligations	7	6
Deferred income taxes	0
Advances from affiliates	9,504	9,853
Other liabilities	259	20
Total liabilities	16,694	18,014
Total shareholders' (deficit) equity	112,096	97,302
Total liabilities and shareholders' deficit	128,790	115,316
Eliminations [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Receivables, net	0	0
Other current assets	(7,173)	(8,686)
Total current assets	(7,173)	(8,686)
Property and equipment, at cost, net	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Franchise rights and other identifiable intangibles, net	0	0
Receivable - marketing and reservation fees	0	0
Investment in and advances to affiliates	(551,293)	(529,890)
Investments, employee benefit plans, at fair value	0	0
Deferred income taxes	(6,582)	(6,698)
Other assets	0	0
Total assets	(565,048)	(545,274)
Accounts payable	0	0
Accrued expenses	0	0
Deferred revenue	0	0
Deferred compensation and retirement plan obligations		0
Current portion of long-term debt	0	0
Income taxes payable	0
Other current liabilities	(7,173)	(8,686)
Total current liabilities	(7,173)	(8,686)
Long-term debt	0	0
Deferred compensation & retirement plan obligations	0	0
Deferred income taxes	(6,582)
Advances from affiliates	(250,915)	(250,224)
Other liabilities	(6,582)	(6,698)
Total liabilities	(264,670)	(265,608)
Total shareholders' (deficit) equity	(300,378)	(279,666)
Total liabilities and shareholders' deficit	(565,048)	(545,274)
Consolidated [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	485,390	107,057	90,961	91,259
Receivables, net	62,643	53,012
Other current assets	35,840	34,727
Total current assets	583,873	194,796
Property and equipment, at cost, net	50,561	51,992
Goodwill	65,996	66,005
Franchise rights and other identifiable intangibles, net	15,435	17,255
Receivable - marketing and reservation fees	64,838	54,014
Investment in and advances to affiliates	0	0
Investments, employee benefit plans, at fair value	12,221	11,678
Deferred income taxes	22,017	22,665
Other assets	42,797	29,284
Total assets	857,738	447,689
Accounts payable	45,548	38,389
Accrued expenses	36,137	53,851
Deferred revenue	64,422	68,825
Deferred compensation and retirement plan obligations		18,935
Current portion of long-term debt	683	673
Income taxes payable	19,276
Other current liabilities	15,674	3,892
Total current liabilities	181,740	184,565
Long-term debt	651,717	252,032
Deferred compensation & retirement plan obligations	19,482	20,593
Deferred income taxes	0
Advances from affiliates	0	0
Other liabilities	16,042	16,060
Total liabilities	868,981	473,250
Total shareholders' (deficit) equity	(11,243)	(25,561)
Total liabilities and shareholders' deficit	$ 857,738	$ 447,689