Consolidated Statements Of Income (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
REVENUES:
Royalty fees	$ 267,812,000	$ 261,680,000	$ 246,475,000
Initial franchise and relicensing fees	18,686,000	14,203,000	14,052,000
Procurement services	20,668,000	17,962,000	18,111,000
Marketing and reservation	407,633,000	389,678,000	354,152,000
Other	9,851,000	9,205,000	7,812,000
Total revenues	724,650,000	692,728,000	640,602,000
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Selling, general and administrative	111,713,000	101,879,000	106,436,000
Depreciation and amortization	9,056,000	7,691,000	7,497,000
Marketing and reservation	407,633,000	389,678,000	354,152,000
Total operating expenses	528,402,000	499,248,000	468,085,000
Operating income	196,248,000	193,480,000	172,517,000
OTHER INCOME AND EXPENSES:
Interest expense	42,537,000	27,189,000	12,939,000
Interest income	(2,547,000)	(1,540,000)	(1,306,000)
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0	526,000	0
Other (gains) losses	(1,780,000)	(1,989,000)	2,442,000
Equity in net income of affiliates	(634,000)	(212,000)	(269,000)
Other income and expenses, net	(37,576,000)	(23,974,000)	(13,806,000)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	158,672,000	169,506,000	158,711,000
Income taxes	45,322,000	48,228,000	47,878,000
Income from continuing operations, net of income taxes	113,350,000	121,278,000	110,833,000
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	359,000	335,000	228,000
Net income	113,709,000	121,613,000	111,061,000
Basic earnings per share:
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.94	$ 2.09	$ 1.87
Diluted earnings per share:
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.93	$ 2.09	$ 1.87
Continuing operations [Member]
Basic earnings per share:
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.94	$ 2.09	$ 1.86
Diluted earnings per share:
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.92	$ 2.08	$ 1.86
Discontinued operations [Member]
REVENUES:
Total revenues	4,774,000	4,573,000	4,356,000
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Total operating expenses	4,204,000	4,040,000	3,993,000
OTHER INCOME AND EXPENSES:
Income taxes	211,000	198,000	135,000
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	$ 359,000	$ 335,000	$ 228,000
Basic earnings per share:
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.01
Diluted earnings per share:
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01	$ 0.01	$ 0.01