Debt (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended				9 Months Ended	0 Months Ended				0 Months Ended		9 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Jan. 03, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013 Residence Inn, Tysons Corner, VA [Member]	Apr. 24, 2013 Courtyard by Marriott, Westside, Los Angeles, CA [Member]	Jan. 31, 2012 Capitol Hill Suites, Washington, D.C. [Member]	May 09, 2012 Courtyard by Marriott, Miami, FL [Member]	Jul. 02, 2012 Courtyard by Marriott, Miami, FL [Member]	May 23, 2012 Hotel 373, Fifth Avenue, NY [Member]	Jun. 29, 2012 Holiday Inn Express, New York, NY [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Holiday Inn Express, New York, NY [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Mortgages [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Mortgages [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Mortgages [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Mortgages [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Mortgages [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Junior Subordinated Debt [Member] Hersha Statutory Trust I and Hersha Statutory Trust II [Member] loan	Sep. 30, 2012 Junior Subordinated Debt [Member] Hersha Statutory Trust I and Hersha Statutory Trust II [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Junior Subordinated Debt [Member] Hersha Statutory Trust I and Hersha Statutory Trust II [Member] loan	Sep. 30, 2012 Junior Subordinated Debt [Member] Hersha Statutory Trust I and Hersha Statutory Trust II [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Junior Subordinated Debt [Member] Hersha Statutory Trust I [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Junior Subordinated Debt [Member] Hersha Statutory Trust II [Member]
Mortgages and Notes Payable [Abstract]
Long-term debt															$ 647,787		$ 647,787		$ 641,160
Interest rate range, minimum (in hundredths)																	3.79%
Interest rate range, maximum (in hundredths)																	8.25%
Net unamortized premiums															2,613		2,613		3,245
Interest expense															8,900	9,718	26,110	29,101		431	455	1,284	1,368
Debt covenant compliance status																	We have determined that certain debt service coverage ratio covenants contained in the loan agreements securing five of our hotel properties were not met as of September 30, 2013. Pursuant to these loan agreements, the lender has elected to escrow the operating cash flow for a number of these properties. However, these covenants do not constitute an event of default for these loans.
Maturity date range, start																	Aug. 01, 2014
Maturity date range, end																	Feb. 01, 2018
Subordinated Notes Payable [Abstract]
Number of debt instruments																				2		2
Subordinated notes payable																				51,548		51,548		25,774	25,774
Maturity date								Sep. 29, 2017	Feb. 01, 2015	Jul. 01, 2016		Jun. 01, 2017		Nov. 05, 2016								Jul. 30, 2035
Debt instrument, description of variable rate basis																								LIBOR	LIBOR
Debt instrument, basis spread on variable rate (in hundredths)								3.00%	3.25%	3.50%		3.85%												3.00%	3.00%
Number of business days prior to quarterly interest payments for resetting rates																				2 days		2 days
Debt instrument, interest rate during period (in hundredths)																				3.34%	3.53%	3.32%	3.54%
Capitalized Interest [Abstract]
Capitalized interest	337	418	934	1,182
Deferred Financing Costs [Abstract]
Deferred costs, net of accumulated amortization	8,344		8,344			8,695
Accumulated amortization	6,701		6,701			4,841
Amortization of deferred costs	756	824	2,133	2,325
New Debt/Refinance and Payoffs [Abstract]
Company funded remaining tranche of the unsecured portion of the credit facility					50,000
Mortgage loan extinguishment							7,928		32,500	29,730		22,000
Mortgage loan								30,000	27,500	45,000		19,000		54,602
Advance in principal								5,000
Additional draw on mortgage loan, amount										5,000
Number of days between additional draw on mortgage loan										90 days
Fixed interest rate								4.947%						6.50%
Mezzanine debt, principal														15,000
Unamortized deferred costs and defeasance premiums expensed		$ 3	$ 545	$ 249				$ 284	$ 7			$ 66	$ 176	$ 261
Effective interest rate								4.10%	3.79%		4.32%	5.85%
Interest variable rate, floor								0.75%