<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
  <periodOfReport>2003-10-01</periodOfReport>
  <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000314661</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>LA QUINTA PROPERTIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>LQI</issuerTradingSymbol>
  </issuer>
  <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001216779</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CUSHMAN JOHN C III</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>909 HIDDEN RIDGE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 600</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>IRVING</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>75038</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
      <isDirector>1</isDirector>
      <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
      <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
      <isOther>0</isOther>
    </reportingOwnerRelationship>
  </reportingOwner>
  <nonDerivativeTable>
    <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
        <value>Paired Shares</value>
        <footnoteId id="F1"/>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
        <value>2003-10-01</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
        <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
        <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
        <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
        <value></value>
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
        <transactionShares>
          <value>2677</value>
        </transactionShares>
        <transactionPricePerShare>
          <value>6.35</value>
          <footnoteId id="F2"/>
        </transactionPricePerShare>
        <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
          <value>A</value>
        </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>360393</value>
          <footnoteId id="F3"/>
        </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
        <directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <value>I</value>
        </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        <natureOfOwnership>
          <value>Trustee of Cushman Family Trust</value>
        </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
    </nonDerivativeTransaction>
  </nonDerivativeTable>
  <footnotes>
    <footnote id="F1">Paired Shares consist of one share of common stock of La Quinta Corporation and one share of Class B common stock of La Quinta Properties, Inc., which are paired and traded as a single unit.</footnote>
    <footnote id="F2">Paired Shares issued in lieu of Director's Fees.</footnote>
    <footnote id="F3">25,000 shares are directly owned by Mr. Cushman, 334,167 shares are owned indirectly by Mr. Cushman as the Trustee of the Cushman Family Trust and 1,226 shares are directly owned by Mr. Cushman through an IRA account.</footnote>
  </footnotes>
  <ownerSignature>
    <signatureName>/s/ John C. Cushman, III</signatureName>
    <signatureDate>2003-10-02</signatureDate>
  </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

