Condensed Consolidating Statement Of Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
REVENUES:
Royalty fees	$ 96,114		$ 89,929	$ 247,168	$ 233,543
Initial franchise and relicensing fees	6,284		6,170	17,146	17,703
Procurement services	7,615		6,271	23,719	19,667
Marketing and reservation system	152,018		134,463	412,193	366,298
Other	5,546		4,693	16,220	11,716
Total revenues	267,577		241,526	716,446	648,927
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Selling, general and administrative	34,357		30,152	109,515	95,712
Depreciation and amortization	2,986		3,108	8,707	8,793
Marketing and reservation system	152,018		134,463	412,193	366,298
Total operating expenses	189,361		167,723	530,415	470,803
Gain on sale of assets, net	402		0	402	0
Operating income	78,618		73,803	186,433	178,124
OTHER INCOME AND EXPENSES, NET:
Interest expense	11,150		10,821	33,466	32,057
Other items, net	(2,732)		714	(3,221)	(114)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0		0	0	0
Total other income and expenses, net	8,418		11,535	30,245	31,943
Income before income taxes	70,200		62,268	156,188	146,181
Income taxes	22,635	$ 9,215	20,849	48,638	47,355
Net income	47,565	$ 21,163	41,419	107,550	98,826
Parent
REVENUES:
Royalty fees	90,462		84,572	231,717	217,723
Initial franchise and relicensing fees	6,187		6,040	16,741	17,160
Procurement services	7,344		6,012	23,088	19,118
Marketing and reservation system	140,792		123,775	380,153	334,638
Other	3,443		3,377	10,039	9,452
Total revenues	248,228		223,776	661,738	598,091
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Selling, general and administrative	38,876		32,846	120,804	108,250
Depreciation and amortization	467		602	1,314	2,170
Marketing and reservation system	143,920		129,268	394,059	349,040
Total operating expenses	183,263		162,716	516,177	459,460
Gain on sale of assets, net	0			0
Operating income	64,965		61,060	145,561	138,631
OTHER INCOME AND EXPENSES, NET:
Interest expense	11,006		10,682	33,036	31,661
Other items, net	(234)		(76)	(1,082)	(622)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	(13,548)		(9,350)	(36,053)	(31,215)
Total other income and expenses, net	(2,776)		1,256	(4,099)	(176)
Income before income taxes	67,741		59,804	149,660	138,807
Income taxes	20,176		18,385	42,110	39,981
Net income	47,565		41,419	107,550	98,826
Guarantor Subsidiaries
REVENUES:
Royalty fees	32,059		28,786	109,172	99,306
Initial franchise and relicensing fees	0		0	0	0
Procurement services	0		0	0	0
Marketing and reservation system	99,595		126,547	344,161	341,274
Other	75		3	212	3
Total revenues	131,729		155,336	453,545	440,583
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Selling, general and administrative	28,591		25,603	98,125	88,962
Depreciation and amortization	1,910		2,044	5,596	5,701
Marketing and reservation system	97,018		121,690	330,959	328,118
Total operating expenses	127,519		149,337	434,680	422,781
Gain on sale of assets, net	0			0
Operating income	4,210		5,999	18,865	17,802
OTHER INCOME AND EXPENSES, NET:
Interest expense	1		1	1	2
Other items, net	(1,150)		1,260	(319)	732
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	(166)		84	409	462
Total other income and expenses, net	(1,315)		1,345	91	1,196
Income before income taxes	5,525		4,654	18,774	16,606
Income taxes	2,169		1,853	6,366	7,343
Net income	3,356		2,801	12,408	9,263
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
REVENUES:
Royalty fees	12,090		8,660	31,110	30,364
Initial franchise and relicensing fees	97		130	405	543
Procurement services	271		259	631	549
Marketing and reservation system	4,771		4,142	12,322	11,714
Other	2,305		1,313	6,707	2,261
Total revenues	19,534		14,504	51,175	45,431
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Selling, general and administrative	5,664		3,792	16,155	12,350
Depreciation and amortization	609		462	1,797	922
Marketing and reservation system	4,220		3,506	11,618	10,468
Total operating expenses	10,493		7,760	29,570	23,740
Gain on sale of assets, net	402			402
Operating income	9,443		6,744	22,007	21,691
OTHER INCOME AND EXPENSES, NET:
Interest expense	143		138	429	394
Other items, net	(1,348)		(470)	(1,820)	(224)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0		0	0	0
Total other income and expenses, net	(1,205)		(332)	(1,391)	170
Income before income taxes	10,648		7,076	23,398	21,521
Income taxes	290		611	162	31
Net income	10,358		6,465	23,236	21,490
Eliminations
REVENUES:
Royalty fees	(38,497)		(32,089)	(124,831)	(113,850)
Initial franchise and relicensing fees	0		0	0	0
Procurement services	0		0	0	0
Marketing and reservation system	(93,140)		(120,001)	(324,443)	(321,328)
Other	(277)		0	(738)	0
Total revenues	(131,914)		(152,090)	(450,012)	(435,178)
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Selling, general and administrative	(38,774)		(32,089)	(125,569)	(113,850)
Depreciation and amortization	0		0	0	0
Marketing and reservation system	(93,140)		(120,001)	(324,443)	(321,328)
Total operating expenses	(131,914)		(152,090)	(450,012)	(435,178)
Gain on sale of assets, net	0			0
Operating income	0		0	0	0
OTHER INCOME AND EXPENSES, NET:
Interest expense	0		0	0	0
Other items, net	0		0	0	0
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	13,714		9,266	35,644	30,753
Total other income and expenses, net	13,714		9,266	35,644	30,753
Income before income taxes	(13,714)		(9,266)	(35,644)	(30,753)
Income taxes	0		0	0	0
Net income	$ (13,714)		$ (9,266)	$ (35,644)	$ (30,753)