Segment Information (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($) segment	Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)
Segment Information
Number of reportable segments | segment	2
Total revenues	$ 524,908	$ 528,633
Hotel operating expenses	319,125	314,982
Depreciation and amortization	99,365	99,617
General and administrative	12,235	11,734
Total expenses	430,725	426,333
Gain on sale of real estate	159,535	0
Dividend income	876	626
Unrealized gains and losses on equity securities, net	20,977	24,955
Interest income	637	292
Interest expense	(49,766)	(47,540)
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of an investee	226,442	80,633
Income tax expense	(1,059)	(471)
Equity in earnings of an investee	404	44
Net income	225,787	80,206
Total assets	7,255,804		$ 7,177,079
Corporate
Segment Information
Total revenues	0	0
Hotel operating expenses		0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0
General and administrative	12,235	11,734
Total expenses	12,235	11,734
Gain on sale of real estate	0
Dividend income	876	626
Unrealized gains and losses on equity securities, net	20,977	24,955
Interest income	203	292
Interest expense	(49,766)	(47,540)
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of an investee	(39,945)	(33,401)
Income tax expense	(1,059)	(471)
Equity in earnings of an investee	404	44
Net income	(40,600)	(33,828)
Total assets	210,950		192,252
Hotels | Operating segments
Segment Information
Total revenues	461,833	454,440
Hotel operating expenses	319,125	314,982
Depreciation and amortization	66,583	62,446
General and administrative		0
Total expenses	385,708	377,428
Gain on sale of real estate	0
Dividend income	0	0
Unrealized gains and losses on equity securities, net	0	0
Interest income	434	0
Interest expense		0
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of an investee	76,559	77,012
Income tax expense	0	0
Equity in earnings of an investee	0	0
Net income	76,559	77,012
Total assets	4,815,816		4,586,709
Travel Centers | Operating segments
Segment Information
Total revenues	63,075	74,193
Hotel operating expenses		0
Depreciation and amortization	32,782	37,171
General and administrative	0	0
Total expenses	32,782	37,171
Gain on sale of real estate	159,535
Dividend income	0	0
Unrealized gains and losses on equity securities, net	0	0
Interest income	0	0
Interest expense	0	0
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of an investee	189,828	37,022
Income tax expense	0	0
Equity in earnings of an investee	0	0
Net income	189,828	37,022
Total assets	2,229,038		$ 2,398,118
Hotel operating revenues
Segment Information
Total revenues	455,385	445,276
Hotel operating revenues | Corporate
Segment Information
Total revenues	0	0
Hotel operating revenues | Hotels | Operating segments
Segment Information
Total revenues	455,385	445,276
Hotel operating revenues | Travel Centers | Operating segments
Segment Information
Total revenues	0	0
Rental income
Segment Information
Total revenues	68,151	81,993
Rental income | Corporate
Segment Information
Total revenues	0	0
Rental income | Hotels | Operating segments
Segment Information
Total revenues	5,076	7,800
Rental income | Travel Centers | Operating segments
Segment Information
Total revenues	63,075	74,193
FF&E reserve income
Segment Information
Total revenues	1,372	1,364
FF&E reserve income | Corporate
Segment Information
Total revenues	0	0
FF&E reserve income | Hotels | Operating segments
Segment Information
Total revenues	1,372	1,364
FF&E reserve income | Travel Centers | Operating segments
Segment Information
Total revenues	$ 0	$ 0