Common And Preferred Stock	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Common And Preferred Stock [Abstract]
Common And Preferred Stock	Note 12. Common and Preferred Stock The Company's common stock is duly authorized, full paid and non-assessable. At December 31, 2011 and 2010, members of the Board of Directors and executive officers owned approximately 18.5% and 19%, respectively, of the Company's outstanding common stock. At December 31, 2011, 97,008 of SLP's common operating partnership units ("Common OP Units") and 11,424 of SLP's preferred operating partnership units ("Preferred OP Units") were outstanding. The combined redemption value for the Common OP Units and Preferred OP Units are $178 and $761 as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively. Each limited partner of SLP may, subject to certain limitations, require that SLP redeem all or a portion of his or her Common OP Units or Preferred OP Units, at any time after a specified period following the date the units were acquired, by delivering a redemption notice to SLP. When a limited partner tenders Common OP Units to SLP for redemption, the Company can, in its sole discretion, choose to purchase the units for either (1) a number of shares of Company common stock equal to the number of units redeemed (subject to certain adjustments) or (2) cash in an amount equal to the market value of the number of shares of Company common stock the limited partner would have received if the Company chose to purchase the units for common stock. The Preferred OP Units were, as noted below, convertible by the holders into Common OP Units on a one-for-one basis or, at the option of the holders, redeemable for cash at $10 per unit until October 2010. The Preferred OP Units receive a preferred dividend distribution of $1.10 per preferred unit annually, payable on a monthly basis and do not participate in the allocations of profits and losses of SLP. During 2011 and 2009, 61,153 and 1,077,645, respectively, Common OP Units of limited partnership interest were redeemed for common shares of SHI. During 2010, no Common OP Units were redeemed for common shares of SHI. Supertel offered to each of the Preferred OP Unit holders the option to extend until October 24, 2012 their right to have units redeemed at $10 per unit. In October 2011, 39,611 units were redeemed at $10 each. The holders of the remaining 11,424 units elected to extend to October 24, 2012. In October 2010, all holders elected to extend until October 24, 2011. In October 2009, 126,751 units were redeemed at $10 each. The holders of the remaining 51,035 units elected to extend to October 24, 2010, their right to have units redeemed at $10 per unit. On December 30, 2005 the Company offered and sold 1,521,258 shares of 8% Series A preferred stock. The shares were sold for $10.00 per share and bear a liquidation preference of $10.00 per share. At December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, 803,270 shares each year of Series A preferred stock remained outstanding. Dividends on the Series A preferred stock are cumulative and are payable monthly in arrears on the last day of each month, at the annual rate of 8% of the $10.00 liquidation preference per share, equivalent to a fixed annual amount of $.80 per share. Dividends on the Series A preferred stock accrue regardless of whether or not the Company has earnings, whether there are funds legally available for the payment of such dividends and whether or not such dividends are declared. Unpaid dividends will accumulate and bear additional dividends at 8%, compounded monthly. The Series A preferred stock with respect to dividend rights and rights upon the Company's liquidation, dissolution or winding up, ranks senior to all classes or series of the Company's common stock, senior or on parity with all other classes or series of preferred stock and junior to all of the Company's existing and future indebtedness. Upon liquidation all Series A preferred stock will be entitled to $10.00 per share plus accrued but unpaid dividends. The Company will not pay any distributions, or set aside any funds for the payment of distributions, on its common shares unless it has also paid (or set aside for payment) the full cumulative distributions on the preferred shares for the current and all past dividend periods. The outstanding preferred shares do not have any maturity date, and are not subject to mandatory redemption. The Series A preferred stock had no conversion rights, the former conversion rights of the Series A preferred stock were cancelled as of February 20, 2009. The Series A preferred stock will be redeemable on or after January 1, 2009 for cash, at the Company's option, in whole or from time to time in part, at $10.00 per share, plus accrued and unpaid dividends to the redemption date. On May 10, 2010, the Company consummated the sale of 598,803 shares of its common stock and 299,403 warrants to purchase up to an additional 299,403 shares of the Company's common stock for aggregate gross proceeds of $1.0 million, pursuant to the terms of a Private Placement Memorandum with accredited investors as defined in Rule 501 of Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The warrants are exercisable for a period of three years from the date of issuance at an exercise price of $2.50. During 2010 we sold 316,384 shares of common stock using a Standby Equity Distribution Agreement. Net proceeds of $480 were used for corporate purposes. On March 29, 2011, the Company entered into an equity distribution agreement with JMP Securities LLC ("JMP") pursuant to which the Company may offer and sell up to 2.0 million shares of common stock from time to time through JMP. Sales of shares of the Company common stock, if any, under the agreement may be made in negotiated transactions or other transactions that are deemed to be "at the market" offerings, including sales made directly on the Nasdaq Global Market or sales made to or through a market maker other than on an exchange. The common stock will be sold pursuant to the Company's registration statement on Form S-3 (333-170756). The Company sold through JMP, as its agent, an aggregate of 91,725 shares of common stock in 2011 and 65,000 shares of common stock in the fourth quarter of 2011, pursuant to ordinary brokers' transactions on the Nasdaq Global Market. Gross proceeds in 2011 were $97, commissions to agent were $5, other miscellaneous expenses were $3 and net proceeds to the Company were $89. Gross proceeds in the fourth quarter of 2011 were $53, commissions to agent were $3 and net proceeds to company were $50. The Company also has Series B preferred stock outstanding. See Note 10. Subsequent to December 31, 2011, the Company issued and sold 3,000,000 shares of its Series C Preferred Stock. See Note 15.

Note 12. Common and Preferred Stock

The Company's common stock is duly authorized, full paid and non-assessable. At December 31, 2011 and 2010, members of the Board of Directors and executive officers owned approximately 18.5% and 19%, respectively, of the Company's outstanding common stock.

At December 31, 2011, 97,008 of SLP's common operating partnership units ("Common OP Units") and 11,424 of SLP's preferred operating partnership units ("Preferred OP Units") were outstanding. The combined redemption value for the Common OP Units and Preferred OP Units are $178 and $761 as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively. Each limited partner of SLP may, subject to certain limitations, require that SLP redeem all or a portion of his or her Common OP Units or Preferred OP Units, at any time after a specified period following the date the units were acquired, by delivering a redemption notice to SLP. When a limited partner tenders Common OP Units to SLP for redemption, the Company can, in its sole discretion, choose to purchase the units for either (1) a number of shares of Company common stock equal to the number of units redeemed (subject to certain adjustments) or (2) cash in an amount equal to the market value of the number of shares of Company common stock the limited partner would have received if the Company chose to purchase the units for common stock. The Preferred OP Units were, as noted below, convertible by the holders into Common OP Units on a one-for-one basis or, at the option of the holders, redeemable for cash at $10 per unit until October 2010. The Preferred OP Units receive a preferred dividend distribution of $1.10 per preferred unit annually, payable on a monthly basis and do not participate in the allocations of profits and losses of SLP. During 2011 and 2009, 61,153 and 1,077,645, respectively, Common OP Units of limited partnership interest were redeemed for common shares of SHI. During 2010, no Common OP Units were redeemed for common shares of SHI. Supertel offered to each of the Preferred OP Unit holders the option to extend until October 24, 2012 their right to have units redeemed at $10 per unit. In October 2011, 39,611 units were redeemed at $10 each. The holders of the remaining 11,424 units elected to extend to October 24, 2012. In October 2010, all holders elected to extend until October 24, 2011. In October 2009, 126,751 units were redeemed at $10 each. The holders of the remaining 51,035 units elected to extend to October 24, 2010, their right to have units redeemed at $10 per unit.

On December 30, 2005 the Company offered and sold 1,521,258 shares of 8% Series A preferred stock. The shares were sold for $10.00 per share and bear a liquidation preference of $10.00 per share. At December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, 803,270 shares each year of Series A preferred stock remained outstanding.

Dividends on the Series A preferred stock are cumulative and are payable monthly in arrears on the last day of each month, at the annual rate of 8% of the $10.00 liquidation preference per share, equivalent to a fixed annual amount of $.80 per share. Dividends on the Series A preferred stock accrue regardless of whether or not the Company has earnings, whether there are funds legally available for the payment of such dividends and whether or not such dividends are declared. Unpaid dividends will accumulate and bear additional dividends at 8%, compounded monthly.

The Series A preferred stock with respect to dividend rights and rights upon the Company's liquidation, dissolution or winding up, ranks senior to all classes or series of the Company's common stock, senior or on parity with all other classes or series of preferred stock and junior to all of the Company's existing and future indebtedness. Upon liquidation all Series A preferred stock will be entitled to $10.00 per share plus accrued but unpaid dividends. The Company will not pay any distributions, or set aside any funds for the payment of distributions, on its common shares unless it has also paid (or set aside for payment) the full cumulative distributions on the preferred shares for the current and all past dividend periods. The outstanding preferred shares do not have any maturity date, and are not subject to mandatory redemption.

The Series A preferred stock had no conversion rights, the former conversion rights of the Series A preferred stock were cancelled as of February 20, 2009.

The Series A preferred stock will be redeemable on or after January 1, 2009 for cash, at the Company's option, in whole or from time to time in part, at $10.00 per share, plus accrued and unpaid dividends to the redemption date.

On May 10, 2010, the Company consummated the sale of 598,803 shares of its common stock and 299,403 warrants to purchase up to an additional 299,403 shares of the Company's common stock for aggregate gross proceeds of $1.0 million, pursuant to the terms of a Private Placement Memorandum with accredited investors as defined in Rule 501 of Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The warrants are exercisable for a period of three years from the date of issuance at an exercise price of $2.50.

During 2010 we sold 316,384 shares of common stock using a Standby Equity Distribution Agreement. Net proceeds of $480 were used for corporate purposes.

On March 29, 2011, the Company entered into an equity distribution agreement with JMP Securities LLC ("JMP") pursuant to which the Company may offer and sell up to 2.0 million shares of common stock from time to time through JMP. Sales of shares of the Company common stock, if any, under the agreement may be made in negotiated transactions or other transactions that are deemed to be "at the market" offerings, including sales made directly on the Nasdaq Global Market or sales made to or through a market maker other than on an exchange. The common stock will be sold pursuant to the Company's registration statement on Form S-3 (333-170756). The Company sold through JMP, as its agent, an aggregate of 91,725 shares of common stock in 2011 and 65,000 shares of common stock in the fourth quarter of 2011, pursuant to ordinary brokers' transactions on the Nasdaq Global Market. Gross proceeds in 2011 were $97, commissions to agent were $5, other miscellaneous expenses were $3 and net proceeds to the Company were $89. Gross proceeds in the fourth quarter of 2011 were $53, commissions to agent were $3 and net proceeds to company were $50.

The Company also has Series B preferred stock outstanding. See Note 10. Subsequent to December 31, 2011, the Company issued and sold 3,000,000 shares of its Series C Preferred Stock. See Note 15.