Income taxes - Reconciliation of tax charge at statutory tax rate to provision for income taxes (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Earnings/(losses) before provision for income taxes and earnings from unconsolidated companies, net of tax	$ 40,756	$ 25,354	$ 8,105
Tax charge at statutory rate of 20%,15% and Nil%	8,151	3,803	0
Exchange rate movements on deferred tax	(1,785)	(1,912)	(3,680)
Notional interest deductions	(1,812)	(1,867)	(1,622)
Imputed cross border charges	995	716	0
Disallowable goodwill impairment charges	0	2,198	0
Other permanent disallowable expenditure/(income)	483	5,762	2,566
Unrecognized tax loss generated on disposal of Hotel Ritz by Belmond	0	(16,029)	0
Change in valuation allowance	4,876	16,320	4,573
Difference in taxation rates	9,509	12,948	15,089
Change in provisions for uncertain tax positions	(3,350)	279	545
Change in tax rates	(643)	(5,121)	(2,081)
Other	(56)	(56)	152
Provision for income taxes	$ 16,368	$ 17,041	$ 15,542
Statutory tax rate, percentage	20.00%	15.00%	0.00%