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

    <schemaVersion>X0305</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2012-05-22</periodOfReport>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001229890</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BACOW LAWRENCE S</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>HARVARD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>420 GUTMAN HALL, 13 APPIAN WAY</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CAMBRIDGE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02138</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>LTIP Units</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-05-22</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>823</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>.25</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common OP Units</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>823</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2231</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Issued as long term incentive compensation pursuant to Boston Properties, Inc.'s, the Issuer's general partner, equity based incentive programs.  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 unit.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The 823 LTIP Units will vest on the earlier of (i) May 22, 2013 and (ii) the date of Boston Properties, Inc.'s 2013 annual meeting of stockholders.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Kelli A. DiLuglio, as Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2012-05-24</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
