Notes Payable (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended				3 Months Ended		3 Months Ended				3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	6 Months Ended					6 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Dec. 31, 2010	Apr. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011 Notes payable maturing at dates ranging from July 2012 through May 2021	Dec. 31, 2010 Notes payable maturing at dates ranging from July 2012 through May 2021	Jun. 30, 2011 Notes payable maturing in January 2012	Jun. 30, 2011 Notes payable maturing in April 2016	Jun. 30, 2011 Senior Notes maturing in July 2027	Dec. 31, 2010 Senior Notes maturing in July 2027	Jun. 30, 2010 Mass Mutual loan	Jun. 30, 2010 Mass Mutual loan	Mar. 31, 2010 Credit facility	Jan. 31, 2011 Doubletree Guest Suites Times Square	Jun. 30, 2011 Doubletree Guest Suites Times Square	Mar. 31, 2011 Doubletree Guest Suites Times Square	Jun. 30, 2011 Doubletree Guest Suites Times Square 8.5 % Hotel Mezzanine loan receivable	Jan. 31, 2011 Doubletree Guest Suites Times Square 8.5 % Hotel Mezzanine loan receivable	Apr. 30, 2010 Doubletree Guest Suites Times Square 8.5 % Hotel Mezzanine loan receivable	Jun. 30, 2011 JW Marriott New Orleans	Feb. 28, 2011 JW Marriott New Orleans	Apr. 30, 2011 Entity that owns Hilton San Diego Bayfront	Jun. 30, 2011 Entity that owns Hilton San Diego Bayfront
Notes payable
Total notes payable	$ 1,673,219,000		$ 1,673,219,000		$ 1,133,727,000		$ 1,101,440,000	$ 1,071,227,000	$ 270,000,000	$ 239,279,000	$ 62,500,000	$ 62,500,000
Less: discount on Senior Notes	(1,674,000)		(1,674,000)		(2,197,000)
Total notes payable, net	1,671,545,000		1,671,545,000		1,131,530,000
Less: current portion	(292,189,000)		(292,189,000)		(16,196,000)
Notes payable, less current portion	1,379,356,000		1,379,356,000		1,115,334,000
Fixed interest rate, low end of range (as a percent)							4.97%
Fixed interest rate, high end of range (as a percent)							9.88%
Number of hotel properties provided as collateral							19	18	1	1
Number of commercial laundry facilities provided as collateral							1	1
Fixed interest rate (as a percent)											4.60%											5.45%
Ownership interest acquired (as a percent)																62.00%	62.00%	62.00%						75.00%	75.00%
Purchase price of acquired entity																37,500,000							93,800,000	475,000,000
Debt assumed at acquisition																270,000,000	270,000,000					42,200,000	42,200,000
Interest rate, description of reference rate									LIBOR	LIBOR						LIBOR	LIBOR					LIBOR		LIBOR	LIBOR
Interest rate added to base rate (as a percent)									1.15%	3.25%						1.15%	1.15%							3.25%	3.25%
Principal amount of purchased debt						32,500,000													30,000,000	30,000,000	30,000,000
Principal amount of mortgage loan obtained																								240,000,000	240,000,000
Amount paid to acquire business																							51,600,000	182,800,000
Debt replaced																								233,800,000	233,800,000
Amortization period of mortgage loans (in years)																						25			30
Interest incurred and expensed on the notes payable
Interest expense	19,120,000	16,024,000	35,986,000	32,802,000
Interest expense - default rate		120,000		884,000
Loss on derivatives, net	960,000		1,004,000
Accretion of Senior Notes	261,000	245,000	522,000	491,000
Amortization of deferred financing fees	812,000	303,000	1,425,000	793,000
Write-off of deferred financing fees		123,000		1,585,000									100,000		1,500,000
Loan penalties and fees		36,000		174,000									36,000	135,000	39,000
Total interest incurred and expensed on the notes payable	$ 21,153,000	$ 16,851,000	$ 38,937,000	$ 36,729,000