Condensed Consolidating Statement Of Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016
REVENUES:
Royalty fees	$ 104,252	$ 96,114	$ 265,727	$ 247,168
Initial franchise and relicensing fees	6,403	6,284	18,390	17,146
Procurement services	8,103	7,615	25,647	23,719
Marketing and reservation system	167,763	152,018	435,273	412,193
Other	8,567	5,546	24,748	16,220
Total revenues	295,088	267,577	769,785	716,446
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Selling, general and administrative	46,364	34,357	117,418	109,515
Depreciation and amortization	3,095	2,986	9,215	8,707
Marketing and reservation system	167,763	152,018	435,273	412,193
Total operating expenses	217,222	189,361	561,906	530,415
Gain (loss) on sale of assets, net	(32)	402	(32)	402
Operating income	77,834	78,618	207,847	186,433
OTHER INCOME AND EXPENSES, NET:
Interest expense	11,399	11,150	33,884	33,466
Other items, net	(2,079)	(2,732)	(3,315)	(3,221)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Total other income and expenses, net	9,320	8,418	30,569	30,245
Income before income taxes	68,514	70,200	177,278	156,188
Income taxes	20,919	22,635	55,944	48,638
Net income	47,595	47,565	121,334	107,550
Parent
REVENUES:
Royalty fees	98,079	90,462	249,222	231,717
Initial franchise and relicensing fees	6,275	6,187	18,089	16,741
Procurement services	7,944	7,344	25,068	23,088
Marketing and reservation system	141,057	140,792	385,393	380,153
Other	6,237	3,443	17,824	10,039
Total revenues	259,592	248,228	695,596	661,738
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Selling, general and administrative	50,969	38,876	128,481	120,804
Depreciation and amortization	370	467	1,131	1,314
Marketing and reservation system	149,993	143,920	401,871	394,059
Total operating expenses	201,332	183,263	531,483	516,177
Gain (loss) on sale of assets, net	0	0	0	0
Operating income	58,260	64,965	164,113	145,561
OTHER INCOME AND EXPENSES, NET:
Interest expense	11,220	11,006	33,421	33,036
Other items, net	(442)	(234)	(1,230)	(1,082)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	(19,105)	(13,548)	(40,129)	(36,053)
Total other income and expenses, net	(8,327)	(2,776)	(7,938)	(4,099)
Income before income taxes	66,587	67,741	172,051	149,660
Income taxes	18,992	20,176	50,717	42,110
Net income	47,595	47,565	121,334	107,550
Guarantor Subsidiaries
REVENUES:
Royalty fees	44,819	32,059	117,472	109,172
Initial franchise and relicensing fees	0	0	0	0
Procurement services	84	0	84	0
Marketing and reservation system	123,841	99,595	329,597	344,161
Other	45	75	126	212
Total revenues	168,789	131,729	447,279	453,545
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Selling, general and administrative	40,875	28,591	106,183	98,125
Depreciation and amortization	1,937	1,910	5,581	5,596
Marketing and reservation system	114,865	97,018	312,352	330,959
Total operating expenses	157,677	127,519	424,116	434,680
Gain (loss) on sale of assets, net	0	0	0	0
Operating income	11,112	4,210	23,163	18,865
OTHER INCOME AND EXPENSES, NET:
Interest expense	0	1	0	1
Other items, net	596	(1,150)	2,492	(319)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	(751)	(166)	(317)	409
Total other income and expenses, net	(155)	(1,315)	2,175	91
Income before income taxes	11,267	5,525	20,988	18,774
Income taxes	1,137	2,169	4,172	6,366
Net income	10,130	3,356	16,816	12,408
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
REVENUES:
Royalty fees	11,304	12,090	32,619	31,110
Initial franchise and relicensing fees	128	97	301	405
Procurement services	149	271	569	631
Marketing and reservation system	4,481	4,771	12,078	12,322
Other	2,653	2,305	7,657	6,707
Total revenues	18,715	19,534	53,224	51,175
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Selling, general and administrative	4,629	5,664	16,990	16,155
Depreciation and amortization	788	609	2,503	1,797
Marketing and reservation system	4,804	4,220	13,128	11,618
Total operating expenses	10,221	10,493	32,621	29,570
Gain (loss) on sale of assets, net	(32)	402	(32)	402
Operating income	8,462	9,443	20,571	22,007
OTHER INCOME AND EXPENSES, NET:
Interest expense	179	143	463	429
Other items, net	(2,233)	(1,348)	(4,577)	(1,820)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Total other income and expenses, net	(2,054)	(1,205)	(4,114)	(1,391)
Income before income taxes	10,516	10,648	24,685	23,398
Income taxes	790	290	1,055	162
Net income	9,726	10,358	23,630	23,236
Eliminations
REVENUES:
Royalty fees	(49,950)	(38,497)	(133,586)	(124,831)
Initial franchise and relicensing fees	0	0	0	0
Procurement services	(74)	0	(74)	0
Marketing and reservation system	(101,616)	(93,140)	(291,795)	(324,443)
Other	(368)	(277)	(859)	(738)
Total revenues	(152,008)	(131,914)	(426,314)	(450,012)
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Selling, general and administrative	(50,109)	(38,774)	(134,236)	(125,569)
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Marketing and reservation system	(101,899)	(93,140)	(292,078)	(324,443)
Total operating expenses	(152,008)	(131,914)	(426,314)	(450,012)
Gain (loss) on sale of assets, net	0	0	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	19,856	13,714	40,446	35,644
Total other income and expenses, net	19,856	13,714	40,446	35,644
Income before income taxes	(19,856)	(13,714)	(40,446)	(35,644)
Income taxes	0	0	0	0
Net income	$ (19,856)	$ (13,714)	$ (40,446)	$ (35,644)