(Investment in Non-Consolidated Real Estate Businesses Schedules) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	11 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 13, 2013	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Oct. 31, 2014	Aug. 31, 2014	May. 31, 2014	Nov. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Jul. 31, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		$ 217,168	$ 163,460
Land Development [Member]
Balance Sheets
Investment in real estate		0	759,038
Total assets		0	789,107
Total debt		0	520,760
Total liabilities		0	609,066
Condominium and Mixed Use Development [Member]
Income Statement
Revenues		141,884	182,635	$ 39,120
Costs and expenses		92,837	96,993	11,938
Other expenses		(10,672)	(6,798)	(22,375)
Income (loss) from continuing operations		38,375	78,844	4,807
Balance Sheets
Investment in real estate		2,921,611	1,617,397
Total assets		3,237,835	1,894,670
Total debt		2,014,682	1,121,099
Total liabilities		2,195,940	1,301,223
Non-controlling interest		535,573	364,560
11 Beach Street [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures				1,519
Apartment and Office Buildings [Member]
Income Statement
Revenues		83,871	85,704	59,917
Other expenses		(75,384)	(86,153)	(64,643)
Income (loss) from continuing operations		8,487	(449)	(4,726)
Balance Sheets
Investment in real estate		590,331	632,753
Total assets		626,513	669,368
Total debt		512,479	498,330
Total liabilities		529,692	511,027
Non-controlling interest		(4,463)	49,170
Hotels [Member]
Income Statement
Revenues		83,324	82,899	22,090
Costs and expenses		3,837	3,064	3,691
Other expenses		(112,069)	(133,258)	(35,164)
Income (loss) from continuing operations		(32,582)	(53,423)	(16,765)
Balance Sheets
Investment in real estate		824,753	777,157
Total assets		894,447	903,677
Total debt		511,029	506,655
Total liabilities		538,426	540,706
Non-controlling interest		294,470	295,051
Commercial [Member]
Income Statement
Revenues		5,638	0	0
Other expenses		(5,642)	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations		(4)	0	0
Balance Sheets
Investment in real estate		65,398	0
Total assets		67,343	0
Total debt		55,624	0
Total liabilities		56,415	0
Other [Member]
Income Statement
Revenues		3,030	2,714	2,558
Other expenses		(1,049)	(1,019)	(927)
Income (loss) from continuing operations		1,981	1,695	$ 1,631
Balance Sheets
Total assets		5,157	4,786
Total liabilities		1,022	766
New Valley LLC [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		217,168	163,460
New Valley LLC [Member] | Douglas Elliman Realty LLC [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures									$ 84,859
Income Statement
Revenues	$ 416,453
Costs and expenses	369,852
Depreciation	3,790
Amortization expense	213
Other income (expense)	(22)
Interest expense, net	23
Income tax expense	996
Net income (loss)	$ 41,557
New Valley LLC [Member] | Land Development - Milanosesto Holdings (Sesto Holdings) [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		0	5,037
New Valley LLC [Member] | Condominium and Mixed Use Development [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		164,023	108,149
New Valley LLC [Member] | 10 Madison Square Park West (f/k/a 1107 Broadway) [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		11,391	6,383									$ 5,489
New Valley LLC [Member] | The Marquand (11 East 68th Street) [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		13,900	12,000									$ 7,000
New Valley LLC [Member] | 11 Beach Street [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		13,209	12,328								$ 9,642
New Valley LLC [Member] | 20 Times Square (f/k/a 701 Seventh Avenue) [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		14,985	12,481
New Valley LLC [Member] | 111 Murray Street [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		25,567	27,319
New Valley LLC [Member] | 160 Leroy Street [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		3,952	1,467
New Valley LLC [Member] | 215 Chrystie Street [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		5,592	3,300
New Valley LLC [Member] | 25-19 43rd Avenue [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		1,077	733				$ 733
New Valley LLC [Member] | Queens Plaza (23-10 Queens Plaza South) [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		16,177	11,082
New Valley LLC [Member] | 87 Park (8701 Collins Avenue) [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		8,658	6,144
New Valley LLC [Member] | 125 Greenwich Street [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		9,750	9,308			$ 7,308
New Valley LLC [Member] | West Hollywood Edition (9040 Sunset Boulevard) [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		10,510	5,604		$ 5,604
New Valley LLC [Member] | 76 Eleventh Avenue [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		17,967	0
New Valley LLC [Member] | Monad Terrace [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		6,608	0
New Valley LLC [Member] | Takanasee [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		4,680	0
New Valley LLC [Member] | Apartment Buildings [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		15,754	18,517
New Valley LLC [Member] | Maryland Portfolio [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		0	3,234							$ 5,000
New Valley LLC [Member] | ST Portfolio [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		15,754	15,283					$ 16,365
New Valley LLC [Member] | Hotels [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		29,925	29,786
New Valley LLC [Member] | Park Lane Hotel [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		19,697	19,341
New Valley LLC [Member] | Hotel Taiwana [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		7,069	7,629
New Valley LLC [Member] | Coral Beach and Tennis Club [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		3,159	2,816
New Valley LLC [Member] | Commercial [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		5,449	0
New Valley LLC [Member] | The Plaza at Harmon Meadow [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		5,449	0
New Valley LLC [Member] | Other [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures		$ 2,017	$ 1,971