Reportable Segment Information - Schedule Of Financial Information For Company's Franchising Segment (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) brand	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) brand	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of brands | brand	13								13
Revenues	$ 244,979	$ 291,490	$ 295,441	$ 209,394	$ 221,483	$ 269,930	$ 261,016	$ 188,868	$ 1,041,304	$ 941,297	$ 807,909
Operating income (loss)	52,041	111,168	109,016	46,249	64,648	93,063	86,539	45,403	318,474	289,653	187,055
Depreciation and amortization									14,330	6,680	6,996
Income before income taxes	40,330	$ 102,443	$ 100,024	$ 30,461	54,781	$ 83,743	$ 76,414	$ 34,279	273,258	249,217	148,140
Capital expenditures									47,673	23,437	25,191
Total assets	1,138,370				995,191				1,138,370	995,191	908,456
Investments in unconsolidated entities	109,016				134,226				109,016	134,226	94,800
Foreign Operations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									72,100	65,800	58,200
Long-lived assets	63,600				91,700				63,600	91,700	79,100
Operating Segments | Hotel Franchising
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									1,027,047	930,479	799,093
Operating income (loss)									378,014	356,187	255,514
Depreciation and amortization									7,352	462	482
Income before income taxes									372,691	351,641	256,007
Capital expenditures									34,737	20,839	20,600
Total assets	990,943				651,264				990,943	651,264	544,987
Corporate, Non-Segment | Corporate & Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									14,257	10,818	8,816
Operating income (loss)									(59,540)	(66,534)	(68,459)
Depreciation and amortization									6,978	6,218	6,514
Income before income taxes									(99,433)	(102,424)	(107,867)
Capital expenditures									12,936	2,598	4,591
Total assets	$ 147,427				$ 343,927				$ 147,427	$ 343,927	$ 363,469