Condensed Consolidated Statements of Equity (Unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Total	Hines Global REIT, Inc. Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Accumulated Distributions in Excess of Earnings	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Total Stockholders’ Equity	Noncontrolling Interests
Beginning balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2016		277,331
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2016		$ 277	$ 2,507,186	$ (821,500)	$ (199,929)	$ 1,486,034	$ 22,201
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of common shares, shares		2,255
Issuance of common shares		$ 2	22,940			22,942
Contribution from noncontrolling interest							33
Distributions declared				(44,497)		(44,497)	(2,804)
Redemption of CPEC							(52,552)
Redemption of common shares, shares		(1,998)
Redemption of common shares		$ (1)	(27,261)			(27,262)
Issuer costs			(16)			(16)
Net income (loss)	$ 98,942			63,577		63,577	35,365
Foreign currency translation adjustment	$ 27,787				19,499	19,499	(19)
Foreign currency translation adjustment reclassified into earnings					4,984	4,984	3,323
Ending balance, shares at Mar. 31, 2017		277,588
Ending balance at Mar. 31, 2017		$ 278	2,502,849	(802,420)	(175,446)	1,525,261	5,547
Beginning balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2017	274,255	274,255
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2017	$ 1,375,558	$ 274	2,471,004	(968,158)	(128,869)	1,374,251	1,307
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of common shares, shares		2,512
Issuance of common shares		$ 3	22,611			22,614
Contribution from noncontrolling interest							70
Distributions declared				(44,420)		(44,420)	(60)
Redemption of common shares, shares		(3,658)
Redemption of common shares		$ (4)	(32,191)			(32,195)
Issuer costs			(29)			(29)
Net income (loss)	(10,183)			(10,180)		(10,180)	(3)
Foreign currency translation adjustment	$ 9,655				9,611	9,611	44
Ending balance, shares at Mar. 31, 2018	273,109	273,109
Ending balance at Mar. 31, 2018	$ 1,323,273	$ 273	$ 2,461,395	(1,021,393)	$ (119,258)	1,321,017	2,256
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Cumulative effect of accounting changes				$ 1,365		$ 1,365	$ 898