Related Person Transactions - Management Agreements with RMR LLC (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Rental income	$ 312,377	$ 283,115	$ 258,062
RMR LLC
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Rental income	$ 35	$ 34	$ 0
Share grants (in shares)	79,100	76,250	79,725
Aggregate value of awards granted during the period	$ 2,260	$ 1,957	$ 2,272

Represents the aggregate market value at grant date for nonvested equity-based awards during the period on other than stock (or unit) options plans (for example, phantom stock or unit plan, stock or unit appreciation rights plan, performance target plan).

No definition available.

+ Details

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- 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

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- 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.

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- Definition

Net number of share options (or share units) granted during the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(1)(iv)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

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- Details

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