Restricted cash - Major balances in restricted cash (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents Items [Line Items]
Restricted cash	$ 7,729	$ 2,585
Other assets
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents Items [Line Items]
Restricted cash, long-term	686	755
Cash deposits required to be held with lending banks as collateral
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents Items [Line Items]
Restricted cash	686	755
Prepaid customer deposits which will be released to Belmond under its revenue recognition policy
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents Items [Line Items]
Restricted cash	6,576	1,341
Bonds and guarantees
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents Items [Line Items]
Restricted cash	$ 467	$ 489

The carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalent items which are restricted as to withdrawal or usage. Restrictions may include legally restricted deposits held as compensating balances against borrowing arrangements, contracts entered into with others, or entity statements of intention with regard to particular deposits; however, time deposits and short-term certificates of deposit are not generally included in legally restricted deposits. Excludes compensating balance arrangements that are not agreements which legally restrict the use of cash amounts shown on the balance sheet. This element is for unclassified presentations; for classified presentations there is a separate and distinct element.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Name:	us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalents
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant