<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2016-05-16</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001043121</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BOSTON PROPERTIES LTD PARTNERSHIP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>N/A</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001217093</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BURT  FRANK D</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O BOSTON PROPERTIES, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>800 BOYLSTON STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BOSTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02199</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Senior Vice President of GP</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common OP Units</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-05-16</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>C</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>4573</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4573</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>LTIP Units</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-05-16</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>C</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>4573</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>.25</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common OP Units</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>4573</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>6205</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents common units of limited partnership interest (&quot;Common OP Units&quot;) in the Issuer.  Each Common OP Unit may be presented for redemption, at the election of the holder, for cash equal to the then fair market value of a share of Common Stock of Boston Properties, Inc. (&quot;BPI&quot;), the Issuer's sole general partner, except that BPI may, at its election, acquire each Common OP Unit so presented for redemption for one share of Common Stock of BPI.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">4,573 of the Reporting Person's LTIP Units (as defined below) in the Issuer were converted into Common OP Units in the Issuer by the Reporting Person in accordance with the Issuer's Partnership Agreement.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Represents units of limited partnership in the Issuer issued as long term incentive compensation pursuant to BPI's equity based incentive programs (&quot;LTIP Units&quot;).  Conditioned upon minimum allocations to the capital accounts of the LTIP Units for federal income tax purposes, each LTIP Unit may be converted, at the election of the holder, into a Common OP Unit. Each Common OP Unit acquired upon conversion of an LTIP Unit may be redeemed, at the election of the holder, for cash equal to the then fair market value of a share of common stock of BPI except that BPI may, at its election, acquire each Common OP Unit so presented for redemption for one share of common stock of BPI. LTIP Units have no expiration date.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Kelli A. DiLuglio, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-05-18</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
