Name:	rlj_DirectAndIndirectOwnershipInterestInOperatingPartnerships
Namespace Prefix:	rlj_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Represents the number of units of operating partnership outstanding as of the balance sheet date.

No definition available.

Name:	rlj_OperatingPartnershipsUnitOutstanding
Namespace Prefix:	rlj_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Represents the ownership interest in real estate properties expressed as a percentage.

No definition available.

Name:	rlj_RealEstatePropertiesOwnershipInterestPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	rlj_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

No definition available.

Name:	rlj_SaleOfStockLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	rlj_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 323
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114001798&loc=d3e33918-111571

Name:	us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

The number of real estate properties owned as of the balance sheet date.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfRealEstateProperties
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

The number of states the entity operates in as of the balance sheet date.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfStatesInWhichEntityOperates
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

The number of units in a real estate property owned as of the balance sheet date.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfUnitsInRealEstateProperty
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=rlj_DoubletreeMetropolitanHotelNewYorkCityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstatePropertiesAxis=us-gaap_WhollyOwnedPropertiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstatePropertiesAxis=us-gaap_ConsolidatedPropertiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstatePropertiesAxis=us-gaap_UnconsolidatedPropertiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstatePropertiesAxis=rlj_LeasedHotelPropertiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=rlj_NinetyFivePercentOwnedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstatePropertiesAxis=us-gaap_PartiallyOwnedPropertiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: