Represents the amount of unpaid rent accrued, excluding deferred rent, as of the balance sheet date.

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	hpt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the amount of annual percentage rent waived during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hpt_AmountOfAnnualPercentageRentWaived
Namespace Prefix:	hpt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the amount of percentage rent recognized during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hpt_AmountOfPercentageRentRecognized
Namespace Prefix:	hpt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Annual Amount of Cumulative Rent Waived

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hpt_AnnualAmountofCumulativeRentWaived
Namespace Prefix:	hpt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the amount of the deferred rent receivable at the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hpt_DeferredRentReceivable
Namespace Prefix:	hpt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the increase or decrease in the annual minimum returns and rents the lessee or manager is obligated to pay under the operating agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hpt_IncreaseDecreaseOperatingAgreementsAnnualMinimumReturnsAndRents
Namespace Prefix:	hpt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the amount of increase in the minimum annual rent payable to the entity when the improvements funded exceed the stipulated amount.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hpt_IncreaseDecreaseOperatingLeasesAnnualRentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate
Namespace Prefix:	hpt_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The fixed interest rate used to compute the amount of increase in the minimum annual rent payable to the entity when the improvements funded exceed the stipulated amount.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hpt_IncreaseDecreaseOperatingLeasesAnnualRentFixedInterestRate
Namespace Prefix:	hpt_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the number of management agreements or leases under which properties of the entity are operated.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hpt_NumberOfManagementAgreementsOrLeases
Namespace Prefix:	hpt_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the percentage of increase in non-fuel gross revenue over the threshold amounts, to be paid by the lessee.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hpt_PercentageIncreaseInNonFuelGrossRevenueToBePaidByLessee
Namespace Prefix:	hpt_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

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

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

The cash outflow for acquisition of or capital improvements to properties held for investment (operating, managed, leased) or for use.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Investing Activities
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 13
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3213-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PaymentsForCapitalImprovements
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

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.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertySubjectToOrAvailableForOperatingLeaseLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The aggregate revenue from real estate operations during the reporting period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1(e))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488584&loc=d3e20235-122688

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstateRevenueNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of the adjustment to rental revenues to measure escalating leasing revenues on a straight line basis.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StraightLineRentAdjustments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis=hpt_TravelCentersMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=hpt_TravelCentersOfAmericaMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	hpt_OperatingLeasesOfLessorContractNameAxis=hpt_TravelCentersAgreementMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	hpt_OperatingLeasesOfLessorContractNameAxis=hpt_TravelCenterNos123and4Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	hpt_OperatingLeasesOfLessorContractNameAxis=hpt_TravelCentersNo5Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis=us-gaap_ScenarioForecastMember
Namespace Prefix:
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Management Agreements and Leases - TA Agreements (Details) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) travelcenter agreement property	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Property Subject to or Available for Operating Lease [Line Items]
Number of real estate properties \| property		504
Number of management agreements or leases \| property		14
Capital improvements from leased facilities, funded		$ 187,652	$ 180,703	$ 224,621
Rental income		$ 312,377	283,115	258,062
Travel centers
Property Subject to or Available for Operating Lease [Line Items]
Number of real estate properties \| travelcenter		198
Number of management agreements or leases \| agreement		5
Travel Centers of America LLC \| Travel centers
Property Subject to or Available for Operating Lease [Line Items]
Deferred rent receivable		$ 150,000
Increase (decrease) operating leases annual rent fixed interest rate		8.50%
Increase (decrease) operating leases annual rent basis spread on variable rate		3.50%
Capital improvements from leased facilities, funded		$ 109,926	99,896	66,133
Increase (decrease) in annual minimum returns and rents		9,344	8,491	5,621
Rental income		279,175	250,582	225,394
Straight line rent adjustments		13,132	9,100	1,580
Accruals for unpaid rent, excluding any deferred rents		$ 65,332	50,987
TA agreements \| Travel centers
Property Subject to or Available for Operating Lease [Line Items]
Number of real estate properties \| travelcenter		198
Travel Center Nos 1, 2, 3, and 4 \| Travel Centers of America LLC
Property Subject to or Available for Operating Lease [Line Items]
Percentage increase in non-fuel gross revenue to be paid by lessee		3.00%
TA No. 5 \| Travel Centers of America LLC
Property Subject to or Available for Operating Lease [Line Items]
Percentage increase in non-fuel gross revenue to be paid by lessee		3.00%
Amount of annual percentage rent waived		$ 372	1,121	624
Annual amount of cumulative rent waived		2,500
Amount of percentage rent recognized		1,303	$ 2,048	$ 2,896
TA No. 5 \| Travel Centers of America LLC \| Travel centers
Property Subject to or Available for Operating Lease [Line Items]
Deferred rent receivable		$ 42,915
Forecast \| Travel Centers of America LLC \| Travel centers
Property Subject to or Available for Operating Lease [Line Items]
Capital improvements from leased facilities, funded	$ 80,700