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New Valley LLC (Investment in Real Estate Ventures) (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($) venture	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($) venture	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures	$ 142,988		$ 142,988		$ 188,131
Total contributions			6,132	$ 20,830
Distributions from real estate ventures			12,074	32,358
Distributions from investments in real estate ventures			37,819	23,338
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures	294	$ (47)	(8,378)	26,357
Impairment of long-term investments	0	0	0	525
Condominium and Mixed Use Development \| New York City SMSA
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Impairment of long-term investments			8,467
New Valley LLC
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures	142,988		142,988		188,131
Total contributions			6,132	20,830
Distributions			49,893	55,696
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures	294	(47)	(8,378)	26,357
Total maximum exposure to loss	175,351		$ 175,351
Interest costs capitalized	$ 2,246	1,108		2,659
New Valley LLC \| Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Number of real estate ventures \| venture	2		2
VIE's assets	$ 1,434		$ 1,434		14,548
New Valley LLC \| New York City SMSA \| Minimum
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Range of ownership	3.10%		3.10%
New Valley LLC \| New York City SMSA \| Maximum
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Range of ownership	49.50%		49.50%
New Valley LLC \| Condominium and Mixed Use Development
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures	$ 91,135		$ 91,135		125,149
Total contributions			1,158	9,468
Distributions			38,860	53,729
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures	1,581	41	(2,856)	28,321
Total maximum exposure to loss	108,355		108,355
New Valley LLC \| Condominium and Mixed Use Development \| New York City SMSA
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures	60,553		60,553		96,386
Total contributions			1,158	872
Distributions			38,860	35,780
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures	1,732	(55)	(1,880)	29,241
Impairment of long-term investments			10,174
Total maximum exposure to loss	65,273		65,273
New Valley LLC \| Condominium and Mixed Use Development \| All other U.S. areas
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures	30,582		30,582		28,763
Total contributions			0	8,596
Distributions			0	17,949
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures	(151)	96	(976)	(920)
Total maximum exposure to loss	$ 43,082		$ 43,082
New Valley LLC \| Condominium and Mixed Use Development \| All other U.S. areas \| Minimum
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Range of ownership	15.00%		15.00%
New Valley LLC \| Condominium and Mixed Use Development \| All other U.S. areas \| Maximum
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Range of ownership	48.50%		48.50%
New Valley LLC \| Apartment Buildings
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures	$ 6,987		$ 6,987		11,167
Total contributions			522	0
Distributions			295	239
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures	(1,111)	197	(4,408)	(450)
Total maximum exposure to loss	$ 6,987		$ 6,987
New Valley LLC \| Apartment Buildings \| New York City SMSA
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Range of ownership	45.40%		45.40%
Investments in real estate ventures	$ 6,882		$ 6,882		10,910
Total contributions			522	0
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures	(1,267)	0	(4,550)
Total maximum exposure to loss	6,882		6,882
New Valley LLC \| Apartment Buildings \| All other U.S. areas
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures	105		105		257
Distributions			295	239
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures	156	197	142	(450)
Total maximum exposure to loss	$ 105		$ 105
New Valley LLC \| Apartment Buildings \| All other U.S. areas \| Minimum
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Range of ownership	7.60%		7.60%
New Valley LLC \| Apartment Buildings \| All other U.S. areas \| Maximum
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Range of ownership	16.30%		16.30%
New Valley LLC \| Hotels
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures	$ 20,022		$ 20,022		22,416
Total contributions			167	1,537
Distributions			0	239
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures	(543)	(95)	(2,562)	(1,597)
Total maximum exposure to loss	$ 20,022		$ 20,022
New Valley LLC \| Hotels \| New York City SMSA
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Range of ownership	5.20%		5.20%
Investments in real estate ventures	$ 17,584		$ 17,584		19,616
Total contributions			167	1,537
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures	(749)	(584)	(2,200)	(1,790)
Total maximum exposure to loss	$ 17,584		$ 17,584
New Valley LLC \| Hotels \| International
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Range of ownership	49.00%		49.00%
Investments in real estate ventures	$ 2,438		$ 2,438		2,800
Distributions			0	239
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures	206	489	(362)	193
Total maximum exposure to loss	2,438		2,438
New Valley LLC \| Commercial
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures	8,799		8,799		18,079
Distributions			10,081	339
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures	45	(38)	799	(471)
Total maximum exposure to loss	$ 8,799		$ 8,799
New Valley LLC \| Commercial \| New York City SMSA
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Range of ownership	49.00%		49.00%
Investments in real estate ventures	$ 1,812		$ 1,812		2,437
Distributions			9	101
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures	(228)	(333)	(617)	(702)
Total maximum exposure to loss	$ 1,812		$ 1,812
New Valley LLC \| Commercial \| All other U.S. areas
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Range of ownership	1.60%		1.60%
Investments in real estate ventures	$ 6,987		$ 6,987		15,642
Distributions			10,072	238
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures	273	295	1,416	231
Total maximum exposure to loss	6,987		6,987
New Valley LLC \| Other
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures	16,045		16,045		$ 11,320
Total contributions			4,285	9,825
Distributions			657	1,150
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures	322	$ (152)	649	554
Total maximum exposure to loss	$ 31,188		$ 31,188
New Valley LLC \| Other \| Minimum
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Range of ownership	15.00%		15.00%
New Valley LLC \| Other \| Maximum
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Range of ownership	50.00%		50.00%
Douglas Elliman Realty, LLC
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Proceeds from commissions received			$ 16,603	$ 6,179