INVESTMENT IN HOTEL PROPERTIES (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended																	12 Months Ended													12 Months Ended								12 Months Ended							12 Months Ended							12 Months Ended							12 Months Ended							12 Months Ended								12 Months Ended								12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended							12 Months Ended							12 Months Ended								12 Months Ended							12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Sep. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2010	Mar. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010		Dec. 31, 2009		Dec. 31, 2011 Land [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Land [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Building and Building Improvements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Building and Building Improvements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Furniture and Fixtures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Furniture and Fixtures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Franchise Fees, Loan Costs, and Leasehold Intangibles [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Franchise Fees, Loan Costs, and Leasehold Intangibles [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Acquisition Costs [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Construction in Progress [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Construction in Progress [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Candlewood Suites in Times Square, New York, NY [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Candlewood Suites in Times Square, New York, NY [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Hampton Inn, Washington, DC [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Hampton Inn, Washington, DC [Member]	Sep. 01, 2010 Hampton Inn, Washington, DC [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Hampton Inn, Washington, DC [Member] Land [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Hampton Inn, Washington, DC [Member] Building and Building Improvements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Hampton Inn, Washington, DC [Member] Furniture and Fixtures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Hampton Inn, Washington, DC [Member] Franchise Fees, Loan Costs, and Leasehold Intangibles [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Hampton Inn, Washington, DC [Member] Acquisition Costs [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Hampton Inn, Washington, DC [Member] Construction in Progress [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Land and vacant hotel building, New Castle, DE [Member]	Dec. 28, 2010 Land and vacant hotel building, New Castle, DE [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Hilton Garden Inn, Glastonbury, CT [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Hilton Garden Inn, Glastonbury, CT [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Hilton Garden Inn, Glastonbury, CT [Member] Land [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Hilton Garden Inn, Glastonbury, CT [Member] Building and Building Improvements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Hilton Garden Inn, Glastonbury, CT [Member] Furniture and Fixtures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Hilton Garden Inn, Glastonbury, CT [Member] Franchise Fees, Loan Costs, and Leasehold Intangibles [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Hilton Garden Inn, Glastonbury, CT [Member] Acquisition Costs [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Hilton Garden Inn, Glastonbury, CT [Member] Construction in Progress [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Hampton Inn, Times Square, NY [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Hampton Inn, Times Square, NY [Member] Land [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Hampton Inn, Times Square, NY [Member] Building and Building Improvements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Hampton Inn, Times Square, NY [Member] Furniture and Fixtures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Hampton Inn, Times Square, NY [Member] Franchise Fees, Loan Costs, and Leasehold Intangibles [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Hampton Inn, Times Square, NY [Member] Acquisition Costs [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Hampton Inn, Times Square, NY [Member] Construction in Progress [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Holiday Inn Express, Times Square, NY [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Holiday Inn Express, Times Square, NY [Member] Land [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Holiday Inn Express, Times Square, NY [Member] Building and Building Improvements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Holiday Inn Express, Times Square, NY [Member] Furniture and Fixtures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Holiday Inn Express, Times Square, NY [Member] Franchise Fees, Loan Costs, and Leasehold Intangibles [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Holiday Inn Express, Times Square, NY [Member] Acquisition Costs [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Holiday Inn Express, Times Square, NY [Member] Construction in Progress [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Candlewood Suites, Times Square, NY [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Candlewood Suites, Times Square, NY [Member] Land [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Candlewood Suites, Times Square, NY [Member] Building and Building Improvements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Candlewood Suites, Times Square, NY [Member] Furniture and Fixtures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Candlewood Suites, Times Square, NY [Member] Franchise Fees, Loan Costs, and Leasehold Intangibles [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Candlewood Suites, Times Square, NY [Member] Acquisition Costs [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Candlewood Suites, Times Square, NY [Member] Construction in Progress [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Hampton Inn, Pearl Street, New York, NY [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Hampton Inn, Pearl Street, New York, NY [Member] Land [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Hampton Inn, Pearl Street, New York, NY [Member] Building and Building Improvements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Hampton Inn, Pearl Street, New York, NY [Member] Furniture and Fixtures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Hampton Inn, Pearl Street, New York, NY [Member] Franchise Fees, Loan Costs, and Leasehold Intangibles [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Hampton Inn, Pearl Street, New York, NY [Member] Acquisition Costs [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Hampton Inn, Pearl Street, New York, NY [Member] Construction in Progress [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Holiday Inn, Wall Street, NY [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Holiday Inn, Wall Street, NY [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Holiday Inn, Wall Street, NY [Member] Land [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Holiday Inn, Wall Street, NY [Member] Building and Building Improvements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Holiday Inn, Wall Street, NY [Member] Furniture and Fixtures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Holiday Inn, Wall Street, NY [Member] Franchise Fees, Loan Costs, and Leasehold Intangibles [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Holiday Inn, Wall Street, NY [Member] Acquisition Costs [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Holiday Inn, Wall Street, NY [Member] Construction in Progress [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Sheraton, New Castle, DE [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Sheraton, New Castle, DE [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Sheraton, New Castle, DE [Member] Land [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Sheraton, New Castle, DE [Member] Building and Building Improvements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Sheraton, New Castle, DE [Member] Furniture and Fixtures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Sheraton, New Castle, DE [Member] Franchise Fees, Loan Costs, and Leasehold Intangibles [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Sheraton, New Castle, DE [Member] Acquisition Costs [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Sheraton, New Castle, DE [Member] Construction in Progress [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 32 Pearl Street, New York, NY [Member]	Jul. 22, 2011 32 Pearl Street, New York, NY [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Holiday Inn Express, Water Street, New York, NY [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Holiday Inn Express, Water Street, New York, NY [Member] Land [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Holiday Inn Express, Water Street, New York, NY [Member] Building and Building Improvements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Holiday Inn Express, Water Street, New York, NY [Member] Furniture and Fixtures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Holiday Inn Express, Water Street, New York, NY [Member] Franchise Fees, Loan Costs, and Leasehold Intangibles [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Holiday Inn Express, Water Street, New York, NY [Member] Acquisition Costs [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Holiday Inn Express, Water Street, New York, NY [Member] Construction in Progress [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Capitol Hill Suites, Washington, DC [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Capitol Hill Suites, Washington, DC [Member] Land [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Capitol Hill Suites, Washington, DC [Member] Building and Building Improvements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Capitol Hill Suites, Washington, DC [Member] Furniture and Fixtures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Capitol Hill Suites, Washington, DC [Member] Franchise Fees, Loan Costs, and Leasehold Intangibles [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Capitol Hill Suites, Washington, DC [Member] Acquisition Costs [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Capitol Hill Suites, Washington, DC [Member] Construction in Progress [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Hotels Aquired 100% Interest In Since January 1, 2011 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Courtyard by Mariott, Westside, Los Angeles [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Courtyard by Mariott, Westside, Los Angeles [Member] Land [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Courtyard by Mariott, Westside, Los Angeles [Member] Building and Building Improvements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Courtyard by Mariott, Westside, Los Angeles [Member] Furniture and Fixtures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Courtyard by Mariott, Westside, Los Angeles [Member] Franchise Fees, Loan Costs, and Leasehold Intangibles [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Courtyard by Mariott, Westside, Los Angeles [Member] Acquisition Costs [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Courtyard by Mariott, Westside, Los Angeles [Member] Construction in Progress [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Courtyard by Mariott, Miami, FL [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Courtyard by Mariott, Miami, FL [Member] Land [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Courtyard by Mariott, Miami, FL [Member] Building and Building Improvements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Courtyard by Mariott, Miami, FL [Member] Furniture and Fixtures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Courtyard by Mariott, Miami, FL [Member] Franchise Fees, Loan Costs, and Leasehold Intangibles [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Courtyard by Mariott, Miami, FL [Member] Acquisition Costs [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Courtyard by Mariott, Miami, FL [Member] Construction in Progress [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Hotels Aquired 100% Interest In Since January 1, 2010 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Hotels Aquired 100% Interest In Since January 1, 2010 [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total investment in hotel properties, gross	$ 1,551,960				$ 1,457,237				$ 1,551,960		$ 1,457,237				$ 278,442	$ 233,869	$ 1,090,280	$ 1,057,344	$ 151,600	$ 150,723				$ 31,638	$ 15,301
Less accumulated depreciation	(211,084)				(211,386)				(211,084)		(211,386)
Total investment in hotel properties, net	1,340,876				1,245,851				1,340,876		1,245,851
Acquisitions
Business acquisition, mortgage debt assumed	62,552				11,937				62,552		11,937																		0											11,937							0							0							0															0								0									0							32,500								0							30,052
Business acquisition, cash paid																														74,290								15,301																																																						28,300
Acquisition costs																														1,194
Acquistions - Results of operations [Abstract]
Revenue																										38,705	32,681	13,341	3,924										5,371	5,046																																			6,756	4,496							68										5,605							5,327							19,476	6,760							1,716							64,173	46,147
Net (Loss) Income																										11,588	7,025	(1,497)	(327)										333	(142)																																			1,929	962							(290)										785							(1,601)							(684)	557							(135)							12,353	7,518
Renovation
Development loan on the re-development project cancelled																																																																																											8,000
Accrued interest receivable cancelled																																																																																											300
Development costs																																																																																											3,338
Number of properties renovated											2
Renovation costs capitalized											6,471
Development costs capitalized																																					7,771
Depreciation expense									55,336		51,823		44,002
Acquisition Date																													9/1/2010											1/1/2010							2/9/2010							2/9/2010							2/9/2010							7/22/2011								5/7/2010								12/28/2010									3/25/2011							4/15/2011								5/19/2011							11/16/2011
Total Purchase Price	259,693				311,155				259,693		311,155				64,624	55,432	146,562	213,566	19,596	21,710	(1,549)	482	2,160	28,300	15,301				74,290		9,335	58,048	5,605	108	1,194	0				17,153	1,898	12,981	2,223	27	24	0	57,465	10,691	41,637	3,939	89	1,109	0	59,517	11,075	43,113	4,078	105	1,146	0	52,378	10,281	36,687	4,298	96	1,016	0	28,300	0	0	0	0	0	28,300		35,051	12,152	21,100	1,567	57	175	0		15,301	0	0	0	0	0	15,301			39,380	7,341	28,591	2,704	28	716	0	48,797	8,095	35,141	4,264	254	1,043	0		47,313	13,489	27,025	6,486	148	165	0	95,903	35,699	55,805	6,142	(1,979)	236	0
Fair Value of Assumed Debt	62,552				11,937				62,552		11,937																		0											11,937							0							0							0															0								0									0							32,500								0							30,052
Condensed pro forma financial data [Abstract]
Pro Forma Total Revenues									306,910		288,818
Pro Forma (Loss) income from Continuing Operations									884		(5,978)
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations									(26,771)		(3,976)
Pro Forma Net (Loss) income									(25,887)		(9,954)
Loss (Income) allocated to Noncontrolling Interest									1,689		408
Preferred Distributions	(3,500)	(3,500)	(2,299)	(1,200)	(1,200)	(1,200)	(1,200)	(1,200)	(10,499)	[1]	(4,800)	[1]	(4,800)	[1]
Pro Forma Net (Loss) income applicable to Common Shareholders									(34,697)		(14,346)
Pro Forma (Loss) income applicable to Common Shareholders per Common Share
Basic (in dollars per share)									$ (0.21)		$ (0.11)
Diluted (in dollars per share)									$ (0.21)		$ (0.11)
Weighted Average Common Shares Outstanding
Basic (in shares)	169,010,448	168,985,193	168,672,936	168,334,982	161,600,788	138,636,206	137,200,796	99,311,523	168,753,382		134,370,172		51,027,742
Diluted (in shares)	169,010,448	172,266,298	173,687,233	168,334,982	161,600,788	142,066,649	140,351,846	99,311,523	168,753,382		134,370,172		51,027,742
Hotel Closing [Abstract]
Carrying value ceased operations at the Comfort Inn, located in North Dartmouth, MA				$ 1,949

[1] Income (loss) allocated to noncontrolling interest in Hersha Hospitality Limited Partnership has been excluded from the numerator and units of limited partnership interest in Hersha Hospitality Limited Partnership have been omitted from the denominator for the purpose of computing diluted earnings per share since the effect of including these amounts in the numerator and denominator would have no impact. Unvested stock awards, contingently issuable share awards and options to acquire our common shares have been omitted from the denominator for the purpose of computing diluted earnings per share for the twelve months ended December 31, 2011, 2010, and 2009, since the effect of including these awards in the denominator would be anti-dilutive to loss from continuing operations applicable to common shareholders.