New Valley LLC (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended					0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended							3 Months Ended																				3 Months Ended											3 Months Ended																3 Months Ended	0 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2014 New Valley LLC [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 New Valley LLC [Member]	Dec. 13, 2013 New Valley LLC [Member] Douglas Elliman Realty LLC [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 New Valley LLC [Member] Douglas Elliman Realty LLC [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 New Valley LLC [Member] Douglas Elliman Realty LLC [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 New Valley LLC [Member] Douglas Elliman Realty LLC [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 New Valley LLC [Member] Land Development [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 New Valley LLC [Member] Land Development [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 New Valley LLC [Member] Sesto Holdings [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 New Valley LLC [Member] Sesto Holdings [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 New Valley LLC [Member] Condominium and Mixed Use Development [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 New Valley LLC [Member] Condominium and Mixed Use Development [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 New Valley LLC [Member] Condominium and Mixed Use Development [Member] Minimum [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 New Valley LLC [Member] Condominium and Mixed Use Development [Member] Maximum [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 New Valley LLC [Member] Broadway 1107 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 New Valley LLC [Member] Broadway 1107 [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 New Valley LLC [Member] The Whitman [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 New Valley LLC [Member] The Whitman [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 New Valley LLC [Member] The Marquand [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 New Valley LLC [Member] The Marquand [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 New Valley LLC [Member] Eleven Beach Street [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 New Valley LLC [Member] Eleven Beach Street [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 New Valley LLC [Member] 701 Seventh Avenue [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 New Valley LLC [Member] 701 Seventh Avenue [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 New Valley LLC [Member] 101 Murray Street [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 New Valley LLC [Member] 101 Murray Street [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 New Valley LLC [Member] Leroy Street [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 New Valley LLC [Member] Leroy Street [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 New Valley LLC [Member] 8701 Collins Avenue [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 New Valley LLC [Member] 8701 Collins Avenue [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 New Valley LLC [Member] Apartment and Office Buildings [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 New Valley LLC [Member] Apartment and Office Buildings [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 New Valley LLC [Member] Apartment and Office Buildings [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 New Valley LLC [Member] Apartment and Office Buildings [Member] Minimum [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 New Valley LLC [Member] Apartment and Office Buildings [Member] Maximum [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 New Valley LLC [Member] 23-10 Queens Plaza South [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 New Valley LLC [Member] 23-10 Queens Plaza South [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 New Valley LLC [Member] Maryland Portfolio [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 New Valley LLC [Member] Maryland Portfolio [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 New Valley LLC [Member] ST Portfolio [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 New Valley LLC [Member] ST Portfolio [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 New Valley LLC [Member] Hotels [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 New Valley LLC [Member] Hotels [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 New Valley LLC [Member] Hotels [Member] Minimum [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 New Valley LLC [Member] Hotels [Member] Maximum [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 New Valley LLC [Member] Chrystie Street [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 New Valley LLC [Member] Chrystie Street [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 New Valley LLC [Member] Park Lane Hotel [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 New Valley LLC [Member] Park Lane Hotel [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 New Valley LLC [Member] Hotel Taiwana [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 New Valley LLC [Member] Hotel Taiwana [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 New Valley LLC [Member] Coral Beach [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 New Valley LLC [Member] Coral Beach [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 New Valley LLC [Member] Other Investments [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 New Valley LLC [Member] Other Investments [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 New Valley LLC [Member] Indian Creek [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 New Valley LLC [Member] Indian Creek [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Non-controlling Interest [Member] Indian Creek [Member]	May 12, 2014 Subsequent Event [Member] New Valley LLC [Member] Indian Creek [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Ownership percentage									50.00%							5.00%	49.50%																				7.50%	45.40%									5.00%	49.00%												80.00%
Percent of acquired interest in affiliate						20.59%
Ownership Percentage in Affiliate								70.59%
Investments in subsidiaries	$ 0	$ 0				$ 60,000
Goodwill								(454)
Total current liabilities	344,415		405,110					(105)
Intangible assets. net	9,382		11,919					559
Equity income from non-consolidated real estate businesses	1,552	481					623							2,292																				53	(142)										(1,314)
Distributions from non-consolidated real estate businesses	(2,575)	0					(1,325)							(4,142)																				(125)	(142)																										(770)	(7,100)
Investments in non-consolidated real estate businesses	129,879		128,202	129,879	128,202					5,037	5,037	5,037	5,037	62,532	61,252			6,384	6,579	1,165	1,165	7,000	7,000	12,249	11,160	10,791	11,148	20,506	19,256	605	1,150	3,832	3,794	27,468		27,540			8,058	8,058	3,688	3,498	15,722	15,984	31,578	31,954			2,986	2,048	18,545	19,514	7,600	7,428	2,447	2,964	3,264	2,419		7,616
Long-term investments accounted for under the equity method	12,834		8,595											3,070																															938
Maximum exposure to loss as a result of this investment														62,532																				27,468											31,578
Proceeds from Sale of Equity Method Investments																																																														14,400
Land and building																																																											9,979
Line of credit																																																											3,570
Non-controlling interest	74,376		73,427																																																								1,185
Equity interest	$ (12,575)		$ (21,609)																																																								$ 4,742