Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements Consolidating Statement of income (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010
Royalty fees	$ 260,782	$ 245,426		$ 227,979
Initial franchise and relicensing fees	14,203	14,052		10,033
Procurement services	17,962	18,111		17,741
Marketing and reservation	384,784	349,036		329,246
Total revenues	691,509	638,793		596,076
Selling, general and administrative	101,852	106,404		94,540
Marketing and reservation	384,784	349,036		329,246
Total operating expenses	498,367	466,930		435,314
Operating income	193,142	171,863		160,762
Interest expense	27,189	12,939		6,680
Total other income and expenses, net	23,974	13,806		2,551
Income taxes	48,481	47,661		50,770
Net income	120,687	110,396		107,441
Parent Company [Member]
Royalty fees	235,429	219,699		205,668
Initial franchise and relicensing fees	13,727	13,439		9,295
Procurement services	17,152	17,619		17,207
Marketing and reservation	338,801	298,797		283,769
Other items, net	8,363	6,341		6,028
Total revenues	613,472	555,895		521,967
Selling, general and administrative	130,682	107,520		96,451
Marketing and reservation	345,809	310,677		298,416
Other items, net	2,832	2,824		3,578
Total operating expenses	479,323	421,021		398,445
Operating income	134,149	134,874		123,522
Interest expense	31,041	16,815		7,626
Equity In earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	(55,834)	(30,595)		(37,079)
Other Items, net	(551)	(789)		(501)
Total other income and expenses, net	(25,344)	(14,569)		(29,954)
Income before income taxes	159,493	149,443		153,476
Income taxes	38,806	39,047		46,035
Net income	120,687	110,396		107,441
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Royalty fees	97,881	104,898		94,649
Initial franchise and relicensing fees	0	0		0
Procurement services	0	0		0
Marketing and reservation	335,737	329,831		312,882
Other items, net	4,573	4,356		4,038
Total revenues	438,191	439,085		411,569
Selling, general and administrative	89,122	92,887		83,162
Marketing and reservation	326,735	319,270		300,159
Other items, net	7,892	7,782		7,138
Total operating expenses	423,749	419,939		390,459
Operating income	14,442	19,146		21,110
Interest expense	0	(3,886)		(952)
Equity In earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0		0
Other Items, net	(1,995)	647		(2,110)
Total other income and expenses, net	(1,995)	(3,239)		(3,062)
Income before income taxes	16,437	22,385		24,172
Income taxes	7,855	8,023		3,113
Net income	8,582	14,362		21,059
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Royalty fees	54,362	32,677	[1]	27,918	[1]
Initial franchise and relicensing fees	476	613	[1]	738	[1]
Procurement services	810	492	[1]	534	[1]
Marketing and reservation	19,903	18,555	[1]	16,349	[1]
Other items, net	842	1,471	[1]	1,011	[1]
Total revenues	76,393	53,808	[1]	46,550	[1]
Selling, general and administrative	8,938	17,845	[1]	15,183	[1]
Marketing and reservation	18,036	17,236	[1]	14,425	[1]
Other items, net	1,007	884	[1]	812	[1]
Total operating expenses	27,981	35,965	[1]	30,420	[1]
Operating income	48,412	17,843	[1]	16,130	[1]
Interest expense	9	10	[1]	6	[1]
Equity In earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	[1]	0	[1]
Other Items, net	(669)	1,009	[1]	(1,518)	[1]
Total other income and expenses, net	(660)	1,019	[1]	(1,512)	[1]
Income before income taxes	49,072	16,824	[1]	17,642	[1]
Income taxes	1,820	591	[1]	1,622	[1]
Net income	47,252	16,233	[1]	16,020	[1]
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Royalty fees	(126,890)	(111,848)		(100,256)
Initial franchise and relicensing fees	0	0		0
Procurement services	0	0		0
Marketing and reservation	(309,657)	(298,147)		(283,754)
Other items, net	0	0		0
Total revenues	(436,547)	(409,995)		(384,010)
Selling, general and administrative	(126,890)	(111,848)		(100,256)
Marketing and reservation	(305,796)	(298,147)		(283,754)
Other items, net	0	0		0
Total operating expenses	(432,686)	(409,995)		(384,010)
Operating income	(3,861)	0		0
Interest expense	(3,861)	0		0
Equity In earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	55,834	30,595		37,079
Other Items, net	0	0		0
Total other income and expenses, net	51,973	30,595		37,079
Income before income taxes	(55,834)	(30,595)		(37,079)
Income taxes	0	0		0
Net income	(55,834)	(30,595)		(37,079)
Consolidated [Member]
Royalty fees	260,782	245,426		227,979
Initial franchise and relicensing fees	14,203	14,052		10,033
Procurement services	17,962	18,111		17,741
Marketing and reservation	384,784	349,036		329,246
Other items, net	13,778	12,168		11,077
Total revenues	691,509	638,793		596,076
Selling, general and administrative	101,852	106,404		94,540
Marketing and reservation	384,784	349,036		329,246
Other items, net	11,731	11,490		11,528
Total operating expenses	498,367	466,930		435,314
Operating income	193,142	171,863		160,762
Interest expense	27,189	12,939		6,680
Equity In earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0		0
Other Items, net	(3,215)	867		(4,129)
Total other income and expenses, net	23,974	13,806		2,551
Income before income taxes	169,168	158,057		158,211
Income taxes	48,481	47,661		50,770
Net income	$ 120,687	$ 110,396		$ 107,441

[1] Refer to Note 1 with regards to the reclassification of foreign revenue.