DEVELOPMENT LOANS RECEIVABLE (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010		Dec. 31, 2009
Development Loans Receivable [Abstract]
First mortgage and mezzanine loans, minimum interest rate in range (in hundredths)			10.00%
First mortgage and mezzanine loans, maximum interest rate in range (in hundredths)			11.00%
Interest Income from Development Loans	$ 3,427		$ 4,686		$ 7,411
Accrued interest on development loans receivable	3,096		3,013
Receivables, Loans, Notes Receivable, and Others, Schedule of Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Principal Outstanding	35,747		41,653		46,094
Interest added to principal	2,094		2,559		2,247
Interest Income from Development Loans	2,094		2,559		2,247
Cumulative Interest Income Paid In Kind	7,748
Term of extension to agreements for development loans receivable (in years)			1Y
Advances and repayments on development loans receivable [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	41,653		46,094		81,500
New advances	0		0		2,000
Interest added to principal	2,094		2,559		2,247
Repayments	0		0		(500)
Principal exchanged for interest in hotel properties	(8,000)		(7,000)		(20,000)
Amortization of discount	0
Impairments, net of discount			0		(21,408)
Balance, end of period	35,747		41,653		46,094
Brisam East 52, LLC [Member]
Receivables, Loans, Notes Receivable, and Others, Schedule of Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Fair value of each loan receivable					0
Brisam Greenwich, LLC [Member]
Receivables, Loans, Notes Receivable, and Others, Schedule of Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Fair value of each loan receivable					0
Brisam East 52, LLC and Brisam Greenwich, LLC [Member]
Receivables, Loans, Notes Receivable, and Others, Schedule of Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Interest added to principal					1,408
Advances and repayments on development loans receivable [Roll Forward]
Interest added to principal					1,408
Construction Hotels [Member] | Hyatt 48Lex, New York, NY [Member] | 44 Lexington Holding, LLC [Member]
Receivables, Loans, Notes Receivable, and Others, Schedule of Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Principal Outstanding	14,444	[1]	12,939
Interest Rate (in hundredths)			11.00%
Maturity Date	Dec. 31, 2012	[2],[3]
Interest Income from Development Loans	1,505		1,348
Cumulative Interest Income Paid In Kind	4,444
Advances and repayments on development loans receivable [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	12,939
Balance, end of period	14,444	[1]	12,939
Construction Hotels [Member] | Hyatt Union Square, New York, NY [Member] | Risingsam Union Square, LLC [Member]
Receivables, Loans, Notes Receivable, and Others, Schedule of Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Principal Outstanding	13,303	[1]	12,714	[4]
Interest Rate (in hundredths)			10.00%	[4]
Interest Income from Development Loans	589	[4]	1,211	[4]	1,069	[4]
Cumulative Interest Income Paid In Kind	3,304	[4]
Advances and repayments on development loans receivable [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	12,714	[4]
Balance, end of period	13,303	[1]	12,714	[4]
Construction Hotels [Member] | Hampton Inn, New York, NY [Member] | SC Waterview, LLC [Member]
Receivables, Loans, Notes Receivable, and Others, Schedule of Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Principal Outstanding	0	[5]	8,000	[5]
Interest Rate (in hundredths)			10.00%	[5]
Advances and repayments on development loans receivable [Roll Forward]
Balance, end of period	0	[5]	8,000	[5]
Operational Hotels [Member] | Renaissance by Marriott, Woodbridge, NJ [Member] | Hersha Woodbridge Associates, LLC [Member]
Receivables, Loans, Notes Receivable, and Others, Schedule of Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Principal Outstanding	5,000		5,000
Interest Rate (in hundredths)			11.00%
Maturity Date	Apr. 01, 2012	[2],[3]
Advances and repayments on development loans receivable [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	5,000
Balance, end of period	5,000		5,000
Operational Hotels [Member] | Element Hotel, Ewing, NJ [Member] | American Properties @ Scotch Road, LLC [Member]
Receivables, Loans, Notes Receivable, and Others, Schedule of Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Principal Outstanding	2,000		2,000
Interest Rate (in hundredths)			11.00%
Maturity Date	Aug. 06, 2012	[2],[3]
Advances and repayments on development loans receivable [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	2,000
Balance, end of period	2,000		2,000
Operational Hotels [Member] | Hilton Garden Inn, Dover, DE [Member] | 44 Aasha Hospitality Associates, LLC [Member]
Receivables, Loans, Notes Receivable, and Others, Schedule of Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Principal Outstanding	1,000		1,000
Interest Rate (in hundredths)			10.00%
Maturity Date	Nov. 01, 2012	[2],[3]
Advances and repayments on development loans receivable [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	1,000
Balance, end of period	1,000		1,000
Operational Hotels [Member] | Hyatt 48Lex, New York, NY [Member] | 44 Lexington Holding, LLC [Member]
Receivables, Loans, Notes Receivable, and Others, Schedule of Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Interest Income from Development Loans					$ 1,178

[1] We amended the following development loans to allow the borrower to elect, quarterly, to pay accrued interest in-kind by adding the accrued interest to the principal balance of the loan as of December 31, 2010 and 2009: Interest IncomeYear Ended December 31, Borrower 2010 2009 Cumulative Interest Income Paid In Kind Risingsam Union Square, LLC $1,211 $1,069 $2,714 44 Lexington Holding, LLC 1,348 1,178 2,939 Total $2,559 $2,247 $5,653

[2] Represents current maturity date in effect. Agreements for our development loans receivable typically allow for multiple one-year extensions which can be exercised by the borrower if the loan is not in default. As these loans typically finance hotel development projects, it is common for the borrower to exercise their options to extend the loans, in whole or in part, until the project has been completed and the project provides cash flow to the developer or is refinanced by the developer.

[3] Indicates borrower is a related party

[4] On June 14, 2011, we entered into a purchase and sale agreement to acquire the Hyatt Union Square hotel in New York, NY for total consideration of $104,303. The consideration to the seller consists of $36,000 to be paid to the seller in cash, the cancellation by the Company of a $10,000 development loan, and $3,304 of accrued interest on the loan and the assumption by the Company of two mortgage loans secured by the hotel in the original aggregate principal amount of $55,000. In accordance with terms of the purchase and sale agreement, we have ceased accruing interest on this $10,000 development loan as of June 14, 2011.

[5] On July 22, 2011, we completed the acquisition of the real property and improvements located at 32 Pearl Street, New York, NY from SC Waterview, LLC. Consideration given in exchange for the property and improvements include the cancellation of a development loan in the original principal amount of $8,000, made to an affiliate of the seller and the cancellation $300 of the accrued interest receivable on the development loan. See "Note 2 - Investment in Hotel Properties" for additional discussion of this transaction.