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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2020-09-28</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001232582</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ASHFORD HOSPITALITY TRUST INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>AHT</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001568076</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Jafarnia Kamal</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>14185 DALLAS PARKWAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 1100</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DALLAS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>75254</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>233</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Special Limited Partnership Units</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2020-09-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>15208</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>1.55</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>21185</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Limited Partnership Units</value>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0</value>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>19377</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The shares shown have been adjusted to reflect the Issuer's reverse stock split of its outstanding shares of common stock on a 1-for-10 basis that occurred on July 15, 2020.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Special long-term incentive partnership units (&quot;LTIP Units&quot;) in Ashford Hospitality Limited Partnership, the Issuer's operating subsidiary (&quot;Subsidiary&quot;). Vested LTIP Units, upon achieving parity with the Common Limited Partnership Units of the Subsidiary (&quot;Common Units&quot;), are convertible into Common Units at the option of the Reporting Person. See Footnote 4 discussing the convertibility of Common Units.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The LTIP Units were issued to the Reporting Person under the Issuer's 2011 Stock Incentive Plan in lieu of certain cash retainer fees and were fully vested upon grant.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Neither the LTIP Units nor the Common Units have an expiration date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Common Units are redeemable for cash or, at the option of the Issuer, convertible into shares of the Issuer's common stock on a 1-for-1 basis as described in Amendment No. 5 to the Seventh Amended and Restated Agreement of the Limited Partnership dated December 13, 2017. On July 13, 2020, 140,625 LTIP Units converted to Common Units.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ KAMAL JAFARNIA</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2020-09-30</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
