Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 115,064	$ 107,057	$ 124,734	$ 91,259
Receivables, net	66,196	53,012
Total current assets	214,677	194,796
Property and equipment, at cost, net	52,822	51,992
Goodwill	66,006	66,005
Franchise rights and other identifiable intangibles, net	14,554	17,255
Receivable - marketing and reservation fees	46,249	54,014
Investments, employee benefit plans, at fair value	12,530	11,678
Deferred income taxes	22,962	22,665
Other assets	53,271	29,284
Total assets	483,071	447,689
Accounts payable	44,245	38,389
Accrued expenses	43,539	53,851
Deferred revenue	76,949	68,825
Current portion of long-term debt	10,065	673
Deferred compensation & retirement plan obligations	17,870	18,935
Total current liabilities	207,174	184,565
Long-term debt	808,911	252,032
Deferred compensation & retirement plan obligations	19,992	20,593
Other liabilities	16,391	16,060
Total liabilities	1,052,468	473,250
Total shareholders' (deficit) equity	(569,397)	(25,561)
Total liabilities and shareholders' deficit	483,071	447,689
Parent [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	4,240	23,370	40,518	4,849
Receivables, net	58,517	44,620
Other current assets	15,785	12,190
Total current assets	78,542	80,180
Property and equipment, at cost, net	12,336	9,013
Goodwill	60,620	60,620
Franchise rights and other identifiable intangibles, net	9,266	11,061
Receivable - marketing and reservation fees	46,249	54,014
Investments, employee benefit plans, at fair value	0	0
Investment in and advances to affiliates	326,926	285,996
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Other assets	23,559	13,808
Total assets	557,498	514,692
Accounts payable	9,851	5,324
Accrued expenses	19,555	18,288
Deferred revenue	21,455	13,584
Current portion of long-term debt	9,375	0
Deferred compensation & retirement plan obligations	0	0
Other current liabilities	6,813	0
Total current liabilities	67,049	37,196
Long-term debt	806,841	249,443
Deferred compensation & retirement plan obligations	0	0
Advances from affiliates	238,210	239,903
Other liabilities	14,795	13,711
Total liabilities	1,126,895	540,253
Total shareholders' (deficit) equity	(569,397)	(25,561)
Total liabilities and shareholders' deficit	557,498	514,692
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	275	432	386	18,659
Receivables, net	1,951	2,407
Other current assets	19,580	25,997
Total current assets	21,806	28,836
Property and equipment, at cost, net	39,398	41,755
Goodwill	5,193	5,193
Franchise rights and other identifiable intangibles, net	2,870	3,334
Receivable - marketing and reservation fees	0	0
Investments, employee benefit plans, at fair value	12,530	11,678
Investment in and advances to affiliates	237,234	235,571
Deferred income taxes	29,132	29,050
Other assets	13,257	7,538
Total assets	361,420	362,955
Accounts payable	30,019	28,831
Accrued expenses	21,892	33,584
Deferred revenue	54,643	54,582
Current portion of long-term debt	670	654
Deferred compensation & retirement plan obligations	17,870	18,935
Other current liabilities	14,720	11,404
Total current liabilities	139,814	147,990
Long-term debt	2,015	2,519
Deferred compensation & retirement plan obligations	19,984	20,587
Advances from affiliates	2,725	468
Other liabilities	7,821	9,027
Total liabilities	172,359	180,591
Total shareholders' (deficit) equity	189,061	182,364
Total liabilities and shareholders' deficit	361,420	362,955
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	110,549	83,255	83,830	67,751
Receivables, net	5,728	5,985
Other current assets	5,224	5,226
Total current assets	121,501	94,466
Property and equipment, at cost, net	1,088	1,224
Goodwill	193	192
Franchise rights and other identifiable intangibles, net	2,418	2,860
Receivable - marketing and reservation fees	0	0
Investments, employee benefit plans, at fair value	0	0
Investment in and advances to affiliates	14,044	8,323
Deferred income taxes	318	313
Other assets	16,455	7,938
Total assets	156,017	115,316
Accounts payable	4,375	4,234
Accrued expenses	2,092	1,979
Deferred revenue	851	659
Current portion of long-term debt	20	19
Deferred compensation & retirement plan obligations	0	0
Other current liabilities	145	1,174
Total current liabilities	7,483	8,065
Long-term debt	55	70
Deferred compensation & retirement plan obligations	8	6
Advances from affiliates	5,009	9,853
Other liabilities	263	20
Total liabilities	12,818	18,014
Total shareholders' (deficit) equity	143,199	97,302
Total liabilities and shareholders' deficit	156,017	115,316
Eliminations [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Receivables, net	0	0
Other current assets	(7,172)	(8,686)
Total current assets	(7,172)	(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
Investments, employee benefit plans, at fair value	0	0
Investment in and advances to affiliates	(578,204)	(529,890)
Deferred income taxes	(6,488)	(6,698)
Other assets	0	0
Total assets	(591,864)	(545,274)
Accounts payable	0	0
Accrued expenses	0	0
Deferred revenue	0	0
Current portion of long-term debt	0	0
Deferred compensation & retirement plan obligations	0	0
Other current liabilities	(7,172)	(8,686)
Total current liabilities	(7,172)	(8,686)
Long-term debt	0	0
Deferred compensation & retirement plan obligations	0	0
Advances from affiliates	(245,944)	(250,224)
Other liabilities	(6,488)	(6,698)
Total liabilities	(259,604)	(265,608)
Total shareholders' (deficit) equity	(332,260)	(279,666)
Total liabilities and shareholders' deficit	(591,864)	(545,274)
Consolidated [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	115,064	107,057	124,734	91,259
Receivables, net	66,196	53,012
Other current assets	33,417	34,727
Total current assets	214,677	194,796
Property and equipment, at cost, net	52,822	51,992
Goodwill	66,006	66,005
Franchise rights and other identifiable intangibles, net	14,554	17,255
Receivable - marketing and reservation fees	46,249	54,014
Investments, employee benefit plans, at fair value	12,530	11,678
Investment in and advances to affiliates	0	0
Deferred income taxes	22,962	22,665
Other assets	53,271	29,284
Total assets	483,071	447,689
Accounts payable	44,245	38,389
Accrued expenses	43,539	53,851
Deferred revenue	76,949	68,825
Current portion of long-term debt	10,065	673
Deferred compensation & retirement plan obligations	17,870	18,935
Other current liabilities	14,506	3,892
Total current liabilities	207,174	184,565
Long-term debt	808,911	252,032
Deferred compensation & retirement plan obligations	19,992	20,593
Advances from affiliates	0	0
Other liabilities	16,391	16,060
Total liabilities	1,052,468	473,250
Total shareholders' (deficit) equity	(569,397)	(25,561)
Total liabilities and shareholders' deficit	$ 483,071	$ 447,689