Changes in carrying amount of goodwill (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Changes in the carrying amount of goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period	$ 161,278,000	$ 161,460,000
Impairment	0	(2,055,000)	(11,907,000)
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(1,175,000)	1,873,000
Balance at the end of the period	156,916,000	161,278,000	161,460,000
Segment: Owned hotels - Europe
Changes in the carrying amount of goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period	77,319,000	77,089,000
Impairment	0	(2,055,000)
Foreign currency translation adjustment	462,000	2,285,000
Balance at the end of the period	77,781,000	77,319,000
Segment: Owned hotels - North America
Changes in the carrying amount of goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period	49,991,000	49,991,000
Impairment	0	0
Foreign currency translation adjustment	0	0
Balance at the end of the period	49,991,000	49,991,000
Segment: Owned hotels - Rest of world
Changes in the carrying amount of goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period	25,977,000	26,525,000
Impairment		0
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(1,683,000)	(548,000)
Balance at the end of the period	21,107,000	25,977,000
Segment: Owned trains and cruises
Changes in the carrying amount of goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period	7,991,000	7,855,000
Impairment	0	0
Foreign currency translation adjustment	46,000	136,000
Balance at the end of the period	8,037,000	7,991,000
Discontinued operations
Changes in the carrying amount of goodwill
Impairment	(3,187,000)
Discontinued operations | Segment: Owned hotels - Rest of world
Changes in the carrying amount of goodwill
Impairment	$ (3,187,000)