Debt (Subordinated Notes Payable Narrative) (Details) - Junior Subordinated Debt [Member] $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($) loan	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($) loan	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Hersha Statutory Trust I and Hersha Statutory Trust II [Member]
Subordinated Notes Payable [Abstract]
Number of debt instruments | loan	2		2
Subordinated notes payable	$ 51,548		$ 51,548
Maturity date			Jul. 30, 2035
Number of business days prior to quarterly interest payments for resetting rates			2 days
Net Unamortized Deferred Financing Costs	$ 997		$ 997		$ 1,023
Debt instrument, interest rate during period (in hundredths)	3.71%	3.31%	3.63%	3.28%
Interest expense	$ 478	$ 426	$ 937	$ 845
Hersha Statutory Trust I [Member]
Subordinated Notes Payable [Abstract]
Subordinated notes payable	25,774		$ 25,774
Debt instrument, description of variable rate basis			LIBOR
Debt instrument, basis spread on variable rate (in hundredths)			3.00%
Hersha Statutory Trust II [Member]
Subordinated Notes Payable [Abstract]
Subordinated notes payable	$ 25,774		$ 25,774
Debt instrument, description of variable rate basis			LIBOR
Debt instrument, basis spread on variable rate (in hundredths)			3.00%