Equity (Details) - USD ($)		3 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018	Feb. 15, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Feb. 17, 2017	Oct. 30, 2015
Equity, Class of Treasury Stock
Proceeds net of issuance costs on the issuance of preferred equity in a consolidated joint venture		$ 44,400,000
Share repurchase program, authorized amount				$ 250,000,000		$ 440,000,000.0	$ 400,000,000.0
Share repurchase program, additional authorized amount						$ 40,000,000.0
Common shares repurchased and retired (in shares)		602,309
Stock repurchased during the period, Value		$ 10,561,000
Dividends declared per common share		$ 0.33	$ 0.33
Preferred Stock, Shares Authorized		50,000,000			50,000,000
Common shares of beneficial interest, par value (in dollars per share)		$ 0.01			$ 0.01
Share repurchase program, remaining authorized amount		$ 249,752,931
Proceeds from Issuance of Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock		$ 45,000,000
Common Stock [Member]
Equity, Class of Treasury Stock
Common shares repurchased and retired (in shares)		602,309
Stock repurchased during the period, Value		$ 6,000
Limited Partners
Equity, Class of Treasury Stock
Remaining limited partner ownership interest in Operating Partnership units (in shares)		772,743
Series A Cumulative Preferred Stock [Member]
Equity, Class of Treasury Stock
Business Acquisition, Equity Interest Issued or Issuable, Number of Shares	12,879,475
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred, Equity Interests Issued and Issuable, Share Price	$ 28.49
Preferred Stock, Shares Authorized	12,950,000	12,950,000			12,950,000
Preferred Stock, Dividends Per Share, Declared		$ 0.4875
RLJ Lodging Trust [Member] | Series A Cumulative Preferred Stock [Member]
Equity, Class of Treasury Stock
Preferred Stock, Dividend Rate, Per-Dollar-Amount	$ 1.95	$ 1.95
DBT Met Hotel Venture LP [Member]
Equity, Class of Treasury Stock
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Noncontrolling Owners		1.70%
The Knickerbocker New York [Member]
Equity, Class of Treasury Stock
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Noncontrolling Owners		5.00%
Embassy Suites Secaucus [Member]
Equity, Class of Treasury Stock
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Noncontrolling Owners		49.00%
Corporate Joint Venture [Member]
Equity, Class of Treasury Stock
Preferred Stock, Dividend Rate, Percentage		3.25%
Preferred Stock, Dividend Rate, Non-Compounding Rate Payable at Redemption, Percentage		0.25%
2015 Share Repurchase Program [Member]
Equity, Class of Treasury Stock
Stock repurchased during the period, Value		$ 10,400,000
2019 Share Repurchase Program [Member]
Equity, Class of Treasury Stock
Stock repurchased during the period, Value		$ 200,000