Consolidated Statements Of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Revenue
Base rent	$ 2,049,368	$ 2,017,767	$ 1,964,732
Recoveries from tenants	367,500	358,975	355,508
Parking and other	105,000	100,910	101,981
Total rental revenue	2,521,868	2,477,652	2,422,221
Hotel revenue	45,603	44,884	46,046
Development and management services	34,605	28,284	22,554
Total revenue	2,602,076	2,550,820	2,490,821
Expenses
Rental	929,977	889,768	872,252
Hotel	32,059	31,466	32,084
General and administrative	113,715	105,229	96,319
Transaction costs	668	2,387	1,259
Impairment loss	0	1,783	0
Depreciation and amortization	617,547	694,403	639,542
Total expenses	1,693,966	1,725,036	1,641,456
Operating income	908,110	825,784	849,365
Other income (expense)
Income from unconsolidated joint ventures	11,232	8,074	22,770
Gain on sale of investment in unconsolidated joint venture	0	59,370	0
Interest and other income	5,783	7,230	6,777
Gains (losses) from investments in securities	3,678	2,273	(653)
Interest expense	(374,481)	(412,849)	(432,196)
Gains (losses) from early extinguishments of debt	496	(371)	(22,040)
Losses from interest rate contracts	0	(140)	0
Income before gains on sales of real estate	554,818	489,371	424,023
Gains on sales of real estate	7,663	80,606	375,895
Net income	562,481	569,977	799,918
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests
Noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	(47,832)	2,068	(149,855)
Noncontrolling interest - redeemable preferred units	0	0	(6)
Noncontrolling interest - common units of the Operating Partnership	(52,210)	(59,260)	(66,951)
Net income attributable to the Company	462,439	512,785	583,106
Preferred dividends / distributions	(10,500)	(10,500)	(10,500)
Net income attributable to the Company's common shareholders / unitholders	$ 451,939	$ 502,285	$ 572,606
Basic earnings per common share / unit attributable to the Company
Net income (in dollars per share / unit)	$ 2.93	$ 3.27	$ 3.73
Weighted average number of common shares / units outstanding (in shares / units)	154,190	153,715	153,471
Diluted earnings per common share / unit attributable to the Company
Diluted Earnings: Net income, Per Share / Unit Amount (in dollars per share / unit)	$ 2.93	$ 3.26	$ 3.72
Weighted average number of common and common equivalent shares / units outstanding (in shares / units)	154,390	153,977	153,844
Dividends/Distributions per common share/unit	$ 3.05	$ 2.70	$ 3.85
Boston Properties Limited Partnership
Revenue
Base rent	$ 2,049,368	$ 2,017,767	$ 1,964,732
Recoveries from tenants	367,500	358,975	355,508
Parking and other	105,000	100,910	101,981
Total rental revenue	2,521,868	2,477,652	2,422,221
Hotel revenue	45,603	44,884	46,046
Development and management services	34,605	28,284	22,554
Total revenue	2,602,076	2,550,820	2,490,821
Expenses
Rental	929,977	889,768	872,252
Hotel	32,059	31,466	32,084
General and administrative	113,715	105,229	96,319
Transaction costs	668	2,387	1,259
Impairment loss	0	1,783	0
Depreciation and amortization	609,407	682,776	631,549
Total expenses	1,685,826	1,713,409	1,633,463
Operating income	916,250	837,411	857,358
Other income (expense)
Income from unconsolidated joint ventures	11,232	8,074	22,770
Gain on sale of investment in unconsolidated joint venture	0	59,370	0
Interest and other income	5,783	7,230	6,777
Gains (losses) from investments in securities	3,678	2,273	(653)
Interest expense	(374,481)	(412,849)	(432,196)
Gains (losses) from early extinguishments of debt	496	(371)	(22,040)
Losses from interest rate contracts	0	(140)	0
Income before gains on sales of real estate	562,958	500,998	432,016
Gains on sales of real estate	8,240	82,775	377,093
Net income	571,198	583,773	809,109
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests
Noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	(47,832)	2,068	(149,855)
Noncontrolling interest - redeemable preferred units	0	0	(6)
Net income attributable to the Company	523,366	585,841	659,248
Preferred dividends / distributions	(10,500)	(10,500)	(10,500)
Net income attributable to the Company's common shareholders / unitholders	$ 512,866	$ 575,341	$ 648,748
Basic earnings per common share / unit attributable to the Company
Net income (in dollars per share / unit)	$ 2.99	$ 3.36	$ 3.79
Weighted average number of common shares / units outstanding (in shares / units)	171,661	171,361	171,139
Diluted earnings per common share / unit attributable to the Company
Diluted Earnings: Net income, Per Share / Unit Amount (in dollars per share / unit)	$ 2.98	$ 3.35	$ 3.78
Weighted average number of common and common equivalent shares / units outstanding (in shares / units)	171,861	171,623	171,512
Dividends/Distributions per common share/unit	$ 3.05	$ 2.70	$ 3.85