Commitments and contingencies (Details)	12 Months Ended			0 Months Ended			48 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($) installment	Dec. 31, 2012 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 USD ($)	Mar. 02, 2010 Infringement litigation of Cipriani USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 Infringement litigation of Cipriani USD ($)	Feb. 05, 2013 Copacabana Palace Unasserted claim USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 Grand Hotel Timeo and Villa Sant' Andrea USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 Grand Hotel Timeo and Villa Sant' Andrea EUR (€)	Jan. 10, 2010 Vendor financing Grand Hotel Timeo and Villa Sant' Andrea USD ($)	Jan. 10, 2010 Vendor financing Grand Hotel Timeo and Villa Sant' Andrea EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2013 Purchase of property, plant and equipment USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2012 Purchase of property, plant and equipment USD ($)
Commitments
Amount of outstanding contracts											$ 21,867,000	$ 9,650,000
Vendor financing									7,064,000	5,000,000
Contingent consideration paid							5,250,000	4,000,000
Maximum potential fine, not accrued						27,000,000
Amount received from defendants				3,947,000
Amount receivable from defendants in installments				9,833,000
Period for receivable amount from defendants in installments (in years)				5 years
Amount receivable from defendants not yet recognized					2,830,000
Rental expense	$ 12,054,000	$ 10,538,000	$ 9,865,000
Percentage of purchase price to be paid for purchase of Hotel Cipriani in Venice, Italy by James Sherwood on exercise of first refusal right	80.00%
Percentage of purchase price to be paid for purchase of Hotel Cipriani in Venice, Italy by James Sherwood on exercise of purchase option by non-recourse promissory note	100.00%
Number of installments for payment of purchase price for Hotel Cipriani in Venice Italy by James Sherwood on exercise of purchase option by non-recourse promissory note	10
Significant acqusitions and disposals, length of time before expiry of former director's right of first refusal and purchase option after his death	1 year