Selected Quarterly Financial Data (Selected Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited)) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016		Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014
Selected Quarterly Financial Data [Abstract]
Total Revenues	$ 132,135	$ 120,702	$ 223,077	$ 106,916	$ 123,177	$ 124,560	$ 127,081	$ 95,760	$ 466,629		$ 470,385		$ 417,406
Total Expenses	126,385	110,223	112,709	115,121	113,116	111,396	108,090	99,875	401,107		387,992		349,497
(Loss) Income from Unconsolidated Joint Ventures	587	(3,717)	1,521	(214)	105	608	526	(274)	(1,823)		965		693
Income Before Income Taxes	6,337	6,762	111,889	(8,419)	10,166	13,772	19,517	(4,389)	116,569		39,066		67,251
Income Tax Benefit	375	1,443	3,070		2,401	631	109		4,888		3,141		2,685
Net (Loss) Income	6,712	8,205	114,959	(8,419)	12,567	14,403	19,626	(4,389)	121,457		42,207		68,271
(Loss) Income Allocated to Noncontrolling Interests in Continuing Operations	205	211	4,748	(687)	205	244	405	(443)	4,477		411		1,016
Issuance Costs of Redeemed Preferred Stock			4,021
Preferred Distributions	5,374	4,417	4,000	3,589	3,589	3,589	3,589	3,589	17,380		14,356		14,356
Net (Loss) Income applicable to Common Shareholders	$ 1,133	$ 3,577	$ 102,190	$ (11,321)	$ 8,773	$ 10,570	$ 15,632	$ (7,535)	$ 95,579		$ 27,440		$ 52,899
Earnings per share:
Basic Net (Loss) Income applicable to Common Shareholders	$ 0.04	$ 0.08	$ 2.35	$ (0.26)					$ 2.21		$ 0.56		$ 1.05
Diluted Net (Loss) Income applicable to Common Shareholders	$ 0.03	$ 0.08	$ 2.33	$ (0.26)					$ 2.18		$ 0.56		$ 1.04
Net (Loss) Income applicable to Common Shareholders (in dollars per share)					$ 0.19	$ 0.22	$ 0.32	$ (0.16)
Weighted Average Common Shares Outstanding
Basic (in shares)	41,733,272	42,309,044	43,427,726	44,379,327	45,663,416	47,417,452	48,530,716	49,582,790	42,957,199		47,786,811		49,777,302
Diluted (in shares)	42,307,583	42,745,864	43,863,577	44,379,327	46,211,104	47,909,549	49,043,914	49,582,790	43,530,731	[1]	48,369,658	[1]	50,307,506	[1]

[1] Income allocated to noncontrolling interest in Hersha Hospitality Limited Partnership (the "Operating Partnership" or "HHLP") has been excluded from the numerator and the Class A common shares issuable upon any redemption of the Operating Partnership's common units of limited partnership interest ("Common Units") and the Operating Partnership's vested LTIP units ("Vested LTIP Units") have been omitted from the denominator for the purpose of computing diluted earnings per share because the effect of including these shares and units in the numerator and denominator would have no impact. In addition, potentially dilutive common shares, if any, have been excluded from the denominator if they are anti-dilutive to income applicable to common shareholders.