Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 140,225	$ 134,177	$ 91,312	$ 107,057
Receivables, net	54,202	52,270
Total current assets	239,773	233,470
Property and equipment, at cost, net	71,289	51,651
Goodwill	65,813	65,813
Franchise rights and other identifiable intangibles, net	12,550	13,473
Receivable - marketing and reservation fees	51,297	42,179
Investments, employee benefit plans, at fair value	13,933	12,755
Deferred income taxes	14,969	15,418
Other assets	76,349	76,013
Total assets	545,973	510,772
Accounts payable	59,429	38,714
Accrued expenses	35,134	55,552
Deferred revenue	76,316	71,154
Current portion of long-term debt	8,201	8,195
Deferred compensation & retirement plan obligations	2,361	2,522
Total current liabilities	182,991	176,137
Long-term debt	863,114	847,150
Deferred compensation & retirement plan obligations	19,940	20,399
Other liabilities	19,257	15,990
Total liabilities	1,085,302	1,059,676
Total shareholders' (deficit) equity	(539,329)	(548,904)
Total liabilities and shareholders' deficit	545,973	510,772
Parent [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	5,185	8,420	4,926	23,370
Receivables, net	47,025	44,344
Other current assets	39,257	41,897
Total current assets	91,467	94,661
Property and equipment, at cost, net	13,445	11,307
Goodwill	60,620	60,620
Franchise rights and other identifiable intangibles, net	8,064	8,669
Receivable - marketing and reservation fees	51,297	42,179
Investments, employee benefit plans, at fair value	0	0
Investment in affiliates	338,267	329,038
Advances to affiliates	13,840	14,252
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Other assets	31,349	32,085
Total assets	608,349	592,811
Accounts payable	11,351	5,930
Accrued expenses	19,116	18,582
Deferred revenue	19,536	17,239
Current portion of long-term debt	7,500	7,500
Deferred compensation & retirement plan obligations	0	0
Other current liabilities	0	0
Total current liabilities	57,503	49,251
Long-term debt	861,398	845,257
Deferred compensation & retirement plan obligations	0	0
Advances from affiliates	208,942	226,917
Other liabilities	19,835	20,290
Total liabilities	1,147,678	1,141,715
Total shareholders' (deficit) equity	(539,329)	(548,904)
Total liabilities and shareholders' deficit	608,349	592,811
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	328	407	550	432
Receivables, net	1,244	1,797
Other current assets	20,628	20,110
Total current assets	22,200	22,314
Property and equipment, at cost, net	56,844	39,298
Goodwill	5,193	5,193
Franchise rights and other identifiable intangibles, net	2,561	2,715
Receivable - marketing and reservation fees	0	0
Investments, employee benefit plans, at fair value	13,933	12,755
Investment in affiliates	26,027	26,194
Advances to affiliates	193,247	206,770
Deferred income taxes	28,538	28,539
Other assets	19,034	18,925
Total assets	367,577	362,703
Accounts payable	43,176	28,525
Accrued expenses	14,255	34,576
Deferred revenue	55,912	53,081
Current portion of long-term debt	680	675
Deferred compensation & retirement plan obligations	2,361	2,522
Other current liabilities	19,097	17,722
Total current liabilities	135,481	137,101
Long-term debt	1,674	1,845
Deferred compensation & retirement plan obligations	19,933	20,390
Advances from affiliates	249	189
Other liabilities	13,418	9,216
Total liabilities	170,755	168,741
Total shareholders' (deficit) equity	196,822	193,962
Total liabilities and shareholders' deficit	367,577	362,703
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	134,712	125,350	85,836	83,255
Receivables, net	5,933	6,129
Other current assets	3,609	3,528
Total current assets	144,254	135,007
Property and equipment, at cost, net	1,000	1,046
Goodwill	0	0
Franchise rights and other identifiable intangibles, net	1,925	2,089
Receivable - marketing and reservation fees	0	0
Investments, employee benefit plans, at fair value	0	0
Investment in affiliates	0	0
Advances to affiliates	9,649	13,479
Deferred income taxes	637	640
Other assets	25,966	25,003
Total assets	183,431	177,264
Accounts payable	4,902	4,259
Accrued expenses	1,763	2,394
Deferred revenue	868	834
Current portion of long-term debt	21	20
Deferred compensation & retirement plan obligations	0	0
Other current liabilities	601	790
Total current liabilities	8,155	8,297
Long-term debt	42	48
Deferred compensation & retirement plan obligations	7	9
Advances from affiliates	7,545	7,395
Other liabilities	210	245
Total liabilities	15,959	15,994
Total shareholders' (deficit) equity	167,472	161,270
Total liabilities and shareholders' deficit	183,431	177,264
Eliminations [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Receivables, net	0	0
Other current assets	(18,148)	(18,512)
Total current assets	(18,148)	(18,512)
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 affiliates	(364,294)	(355,232)
Advances to affiliates	(216,736)	(234,501)
Deferred income taxes	(14,206)	(13,761)
Other assets	0	0
Total assets	(613,384)	(622,006)
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	(18,148)	(18,512)
Total current liabilities	(18,148)	(18,512)
Long-term debt	0	0
Deferred compensation & retirement plan obligations	0	0
Advances from affiliates	(216,736)	(234,501)
Other liabilities	(14,206)	(13,761)
Total liabilities	(249,090)	(266,774)
Total shareholders' (deficit) equity	(364,294)	(355,232)
Total liabilities and shareholders' deficit	(613,384)	(622,006)
Consolidated [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents	140,225	134,177	91,312	107,057
Receivables, net	54,202	52,270
Other current assets	45,346	47,023
Total current assets	239,773	233,470
Property and equipment, at cost, net	71,289	51,651
Goodwill	65,813	65,813
Franchise rights and other identifiable intangibles, net	12,550	13,473
Receivable - marketing and reservation fees	51,297	42,179
Investments, employee benefit plans, at fair value	13,933	12,755
Investment in affiliates	0	0
Advances to affiliates	0	0
Deferred income taxes	14,969	15,418
Other assets	76,349	76,013
Total assets	545,973	510,772
Accounts payable	59,429	38,714
Accrued expenses	35,134	55,552
Deferred revenue	76,316	71,154
Current portion of long-term debt	8,201	8,195
Deferred compensation & retirement plan obligations	2,361	2,522
Other current liabilities	1,550	0
Total current liabilities	182,991	176,137
Long-term debt	863,114	847,150
Deferred compensation & retirement plan obligations	19,940	20,399
Advances from affiliates	0	0
Other liabilities	19,257	15,990
Total liabilities	1,085,302	1,059,676
Total shareholders' (deficit) equity	(539,329)	(548,904)
Total liabilities and shareholders' deficit	$ 545,973	$ 510,772