Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements - Condensed Consolidating Statement of Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
REVENUES:
Royalty fees									$ 320,547	$ 301,508	$ 287,538
Initial franchise and relicensing fees									23,953	24,680	19,481
Procurement services									31,226	27,071	23,819
Marketing and reservation system									525,716	488,763	412,619
Other items, net									23,199	17,856	14,513
Revenues	$ 208,195	$ 267,577	$ 241,751	$ 207,118	$ 210,951	$ 241,526	$ 232,156	$ 175,245	924,641	859,878	757,970
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Selling, general and administrative									148,728	134,254	121,418
Marketing and reservation system									525,716	488,763	412,619
Depreciation and amortization									11,705	11,542	9,365
Total operating expenses									686,149	634,559	543,402
Gain on sale of assets, net									403	0	0
Operating income	52,462	78,618	64,942	42,873	47,195	73,803	62,917	41,404	238,895	225,319	214,568
OTHER INCOME AND EXPENSES, NET:
Interest expense									44,446	42,833	41,486
Total other income and expenses, net									38,915	41,334	40,810
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	43,792	70,200	55,610	30,378	37,804	62,268	52,879	31,034	199,980	183,985	173,758
Income taxes				9,215					60,609	55,956	52,285
Income from continuing operations, net of income taxes									139,371	128,029	121,473
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes									0	0	1,687
Net income	$ 31,821	$ 47,565	$ 38,822	$ 21,163	$ 29,203	$ 41,419	$ 35,813	$ 21,594	139,371	128,029	123,160
Parent
REVENUES:
Royalty fees									300,119	280,739	262,540
Initial franchise and relicensing fees									23,284	23,934	18,753
Procurement services									30,355	26,387	22,959
Marketing and reservation system									482,836	446,358	367,726
Other items, net									15,040	13,744	13,758
Revenues									851,634	791,162	685,736
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Selling, general and administrative									163,891	154,591	137,759
Marketing and reservation system									499,656	464,439	383,584
Depreciation and amortization									1,838	2,405	3,038
Total operating expenses									665,385	621,435	524,381
Gain on sale of assets, net									0
Operating income									186,249	169,727	161,355
OTHER INCOME AND EXPENSES, NET:
Interest expense									43,866	42,276	41,454
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries									(48,073)	(45,155)	(45,426)
Other items, net									(1,402)	(957)	(1,465)
Total other income and expenses, net									(5,609)	(3,836)	(5,437)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes									191,858	173,563	166,792
Income taxes									52,487	45,534	43,632
Income from continuing operations, net of income taxes										128,029	123,160
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes										0	0
Net income									139,371	128,029	123,160
Guarantor Subsidiaries
REVENUES:
Royalty fees									145,946	134,944	121,295
Initial franchise and relicensing fees									0	0	0
Procurement services									0	0	23
Marketing and reservation system									431,125	454,916	369,359
Other items, net									631	0	16
Revenues									577,702	589,860	490,693
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Selling, general and administrative									131,517	120,800	110,504
Marketing and reservation system									414,302	437,378	354,342
Depreciation and amortization									7,456	7,595	5,679
Total operating expenses									553,275	565,773	470,525
Gain on sale of assets, net									453
Operating income									24,880	24,087	20,168
OTHER INCOME AND EXPENSES, NET:
Interest expense									1	2	3
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries									641	373	(765)
Other items, net									(1,047)	198	567
Total other income and expenses, net									(405)	573	(195)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes									25,285	23,514	20,363
Income taxes									7,912	10,351	7,922
Income from continuing operations, net of income taxes										13,163	12,441
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes										0	0
Net income									17,373	13,163	12,441
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
REVENUES:
Royalty fees									42,249	46,055	44,357
Initial franchise and relicensing fees									669	746	728
Procurement services									871	684	837
Marketing and reservation system									16,232	15,827	18,783
Other items, net									8,119	4,203	739
Revenues									68,140	67,515	65,444
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Selling, general and administrative									21,678	19,184	13,809
Marketing and reservation system									16,235	15,284	17,942
Depreciation and amortization									2,411	1,542	648
Total operating expenses									40,324	36,010	32,399
Gain on sale of assets, net									(50)
Operating income									27,766	31,505	33,045
OTHER INCOME AND EXPENSES, NET:
Interest expense									579	555	29
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries									0	0	0
Other items, net									(3,082)	(740)	222
Total other income and expenses, net									(2,503)	(185)	251
Income from continuing operations before income taxes									30,269	31,690	32,794
Income taxes									210	71	731
Income from continuing operations, net of income taxes										31,619	32,063
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes										0	1,687
Net income									30,059	31,619	33,750
Consolidated
REVENUES:
Royalty fees									320,547	301,508	287,538
Initial franchise and relicensing fees									23,953	24,680	19,481
Procurement services									31,226	27,071	23,819
Marketing and reservation system									525,716	488,763	412,619
Other items, net									23,199	17,856	14,513
Revenues									924,641	859,878	757,970
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Selling, general and administrative									148,728	134,254	121,418
Marketing and reservation system									525,716	488,763	412,619
Depreciation and amortization									11,705	11,542	9,365
Total operating expenses									686,149	634,559	543,402
Gain on sale of assets, net									403
Operating income									238,895	225,319	214,568
OTHER INCOME AND EXPENSES, NET:
Interest expense									44,446	42,833	41,486
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries									0	0	0
Other items, net									(5,531)	(1,499)	(676)
Total other income and expenses, net									38,915	41,334	40,810
Income from continuing operations before income taxes									199,980	183,985	173,758
Income taxes									60,609	55,956	52,285
Income from continuing operations, net of income taxes										128,029	121,473
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes										0	1,687
Net income									139,371	128,029	123,160
Eliminations
REVENUES:
Royalty fees									(167,767)	(160,230)	(140,654)
Initial franchise and relicensing fees									0	0	0
Procurement services									0	0	0
Marketing and reservation system									(404,477)	(428,338)	(343,249)
Other items, net									(591)	(91)	0
Revenues									(572,835)	(588,659)	(483,903)
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Selling, general and administrative									(168,358)	(160,321)	(140,654)
Marketing and reservation system									(404,477)	(428,338)	(343,249)
Depreciation and amortization									0	0	0
Total operating expenses									(572,835)	(588,659)	(483,903)
Gain on sale of assets, net									0
Operating income									0	0	0
OTHER INCOME AND EXPENSES, NET:
Interest expense									0	0	0
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries									47,432	44,782	46,191
Other items, net									0	0	0
Total other income and expenses, net									47,432	44,782	46,191
Income from continuing operations before income taxes									(47,432)	(44,782)	(46,191)
Income taxes									0	0	0
Income from continuing operations, net of income taxes										(44,782)	(46,191)
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes										0	0
Net income									$ (47,432)	$ (44,782)	$ (46,191)