Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
General Partners' Capital Account, Units Outstanding (in units)	1,719,540
Limited Partners' Capital Account, Units Outstanding (in units)	152,605,746
Excess stock, par value	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Excess stock, shares authorized	150,000,000	150,000,000
Excess stock, shares issued	0	0
Excess stock, shares outstanding	0	0
Preferred stock, par value	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Preferred stock, shares authorized	50,000,000	50,000,000
Common stock, par value	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Common stock, shares authorized	250,000,000	250,000,000
Common stock, shares issued	154,404,186	153,869,075
Common stock, shares outstanding	154,325,286	153,790,175
Treasury common stock at cost, shares	78,900	78,900
Real estate, at cost (amounts related to variable interest entities (“VIEs”) of $7,172,718 and $6,760,078 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively )	$ 21,096,642	$ 20,147,263
Less: accumulated depreciation (amounts related to VIEs of $(854,172) and $(758,640) at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively	(4,589,634)	(4,222,235)
Cash and cash equivalents (amounts related to VIEs of $304,955 and $253,999 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	434,767	356,914
Cash held in escrows (amounts related to VIEs of $6,135 and $4,955 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	70,602	63,174
Tenant and other receivables, net (amounts related to VIEs of $27,057 and $23,525 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	92,186	92,548
Accrued rental income, net (amounts related to VIEs of $242,589 and $224,185 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	861,575	799,138
Deferred charges, net (amounts related to VIEs of $281,678 and $290,436 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	679,038	686,163
Prepaid expenses and other assets (amounts related to VIEs of $33,666 and $42,718 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	77,971	129,666
Mortgage notes payable, net (amounts related to VIEs of $2,939,183 and $2,018,483 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	2,979,281	2,063,087
Mezzanine notes payable (amounts related to VIEs of $0 and $307,093 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	0	307,093
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities	331,500	298,524
Accrued interest payable (amounts related to VIEs of $6,907 and $162,226 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	83,646	243,933
Other liabilities (amounts related to VIEs of $164,806 and $175,146 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	$ 443,980	$ 450,821
Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock / Unit [Member]
Preferred stock, par value	$ 0.01	$ 0
Preferred stock, shares authorized	92,000	92,000
Series B Dividend Rate Percentage	5.25%	5.25%
Preferred stock / units, shares / units issued (in shares / units)	80,000	80,000
Series B Liquidation Preference Per Share/ Unit	$ 2,500.00	$ 2,500
Preferred stock / units, shares / units outstanding (in shares / units)	80,000	80,000
Boston Properties Limited Partnership
Redeemable Partnership Units Common Units Shares Outstanding (in units)	16,810,378	17,079,511
Redeemable Partnership Units Common Units Long Term Incentive Units At Redemption Value Units Outstanding (in units)	818,343	904,588
General Partners' Capital Account, Units Outstanding (in units)	1,719,540	1,717,743
Limited Partners' Capital Account, Units Outstanding (in units)	152,605,746	152,072,432
Real estate, at cost (amounts related to variable interest entities (“VIEs”) of $7,172,718 and $6,760,078 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively )	$ 20,685,164	$ 19,733,872
Less: accumulated depreciation (amounts related to VIEs of $(854,172) and $(758,640) at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively	(4,496,959)	(4,136,364)
Cash and cash equivalents (amounts related to VIEs of $304,955 and $253,999 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	434,767	356,914
Cash held in escrows (amounts related to VIEs of $6,135 and $4,955 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	70,602	63,174
Tenant and other receivables, net (amounts related to VIEs of $27,057 and $23,525 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	92,186	92,548
Accrued rental income, net (amounts related to VIEs of $242,589 and $224,185 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	861,575	799,138
Deferred charges, net (amounts related to VIEs of $281,678 and $290,436 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	679,038	686,163
Prepaid expenses and other assets (amounts related to VIEs of $33,666 and $42,718 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	77,971	129,666
Mortgage notes payable, net (amounts related to VIEs of $2,939,183 and $2,018,483 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	2,979,281	2,063,087
Mezzanine notes payable (amounts related to VIEs of $0 and $307,093 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	0	307,093
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities	331,500	298,524
Accrued interest payable (amounts related to VIEs of $6,907 and $162,226 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	83,646	243,933
Other liabilities (amounts related to VIEs of $164,806 and $175,146 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	$ 443,980	$ 450,821
Boston Properties Limited Partnership | Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock / Unit [Member]
Series B Dividend Rate Percentage	5.25%	5.25%
Preferred stock / units, shares / units issued (in shares / units)	80,000	80,000
Series B Liquidation Preference Per Share/ Unit	$ 2,500	$ 2,500
Preferred stock / units, shares / units outstanding (in shares / units)	80,000	80,000
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Real estate, at cost (amounts related to variable interest entities (“VIEs”) of $7,172,718 and $6,760,078 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively )	$ 7,172,718	$ 6,760,078
Less: accumulated depreciation (amounts related to VIEs of $(854,172) and $(758,640) at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively	(854,172)	(758,640)
Cash and cash equivalents (amounts related to VIEs of $304,955 and $253,999 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	304,955	253,999
Cash held in escrows (amounts related to VIEs of $6,135 and $4,955 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	6,135	4,955
Tenant and other receivables, net (amounts related to VIEs of $27,057 and $23,525 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	27,057	23,525
Accrued rental income, net (amounts related to VIEs of $242,589 and $224,185 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	242,589	224,185
Deferred charges, net (amounts related to VIEs of $281,678 and $290,436 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	281,678	290,436
Prepaid expenses and other assets (amounts related to VIEs of $33,666 and $42,718 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	33,666	42,718
Mortgage notes payable, net (amounts related to VIEs of $2,939,183 and $2,018,483 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	2,939,183	2,018,483
Mezzanine notes payable (amounts related to VIEs of $0 and $307,093 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	0	307,093
Outside member's notes payable	0	180,000
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities	106,683	110,457
Accrued interest payable (amounts related to VIEs of $6,907 and $162,226 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	6,907	162,226
Other liabilities (amounts related to VIEs of $164,806 and $175,146 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	164,806	175,146
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] | Boston Properties Limited Partnership
Real estate, at cost (amounts related to variable interest entities (“VIEs”) of $7,172,718 and $6,760,078 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively )	7,172,718	6,760,078
Less: accumulated depreciation (amounts related to VIEs of $(854,172) and $(758,640) at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively	(854,172)	(758,640)
Cash and cash equivalents (amounts related to VIEs of $304,955 and $253,999 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	304,955	253,999
Cash held in escrows (amounts related to VIEs of $6,135 and $4,955 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	6,135	4,955
Tenant and other receivables, net (amounts related to VIEs of $27,057 and $23,525 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	27,057	23,525
Accrued rental income, net (amounts related to VIEs of $242,589 and $224,185 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	242,589	224,185
Deferred charges, net (amounts related to VIEs of $281,678 and $290,436 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	281,678	290,436
Prepaid expenses and other assets (amounts related to VIEs of $33,666 and $42,718 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	33,666	42,718
Mortgage notes payable, net (amounts related to VIEs of $2,939,183 and $2,018,483 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	2,939,183	2,018,483
Mezzanine notes payable (amounts related to VIEs of $0 and $307,093 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	0	307,093
Outside member's notes payable	0	180,000
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities	106,683	110,457
Accrued interest payable (amounts related to VIEs of $6,907 and $162,226 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	6,907	162,226
Other liabilities (amounts related to VIEs of $164,806 and $175,146 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively)	$ 164,806	$ 175,146