HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST

Penn Mutual Towers

510 Walnut Street, 9th floor,

Philadelphia, PA 19106

Telephone: 215-238-1046

Fax: 215-238-0157

September 15, 2010

VIA EDGAR AND FACSIMILE

Ms. Sonia G. Barros, Special Counsel

United States Securities and Exchange Commission

Division of Corporation Finance

100 F Street, NE

Washington, D.C. 20549

Re: Hersha Hospitality Trust

Registration Statement on Form S-3

File No. 333-167891

Dear Ms. Barros:

Pursuant to Rule 461 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Hersha Hospitality Trust (the “Company”) hereby requests acceleration of effectiveness of the above-captioned registration statement as soon as reasonably practicable after the date hereof.

The Company acknowledges that:

● should the Commission or the staff, acting pursuant to delegated authority, declare the filing effective, it does not foreclose the Commission from taking any action with respect to the filing;

● the action of the Commission or the staff, acting pursuant to delegated authority, in declaring the filing effective, does not relieve the company from its full responsibility for the adequacy and accuracy of the disclosure in the filing; and

● the Company may not assert this action as a defense in any proceeding initiated by the Commission or any person under the federal securities laws of the United States.

If you have questions or comments regarding this request, please call James S. Seevers, Jr. of Hunton & Williams LLP at (804) 788-8573.

Very truly yours,
HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST
By:	/s/ Ashish R. Parikh
	Ashish R. Parikh
	Chief Financial Officer

cc: Pablo Vergara del Carril

James S. Seevers, Jr.