Related Person Transactions (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended					3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended				0 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended				3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		0 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013 Property item	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013 Property item	Jun. 30, 2012	Jan. 31, 2012 SNSTA	Jun. 30, 2013 Travel centers Property	Jun. 30, 2013 Hotels Property	Jun. 30, 2013 RMR item Property agreement	Jun. 30, 2012 RMR	Jun. 30, 2013 RMR item Property agreement	Jun. 30, 2012 RMR	Jun. 30, 2013 Travel Centers of America LLC item	Dec. 31, 2012 Travel Centers of America LLC	Jul. 02, 2013 Travel Centers of America LLC Travel centers Property item	Apr. 15, 2013 Travel Centers of America LLC Travel centers Property	Jun. 30, 2013 Travel Centers of America LLC Travel centers item Property	Jun. 30, 2012 Travel Centers of America LLC Travel centers	Jun. 30, 2013 Travel Centers of America LLC Travel centers item Property	Jun. 30, 2012 Travel Centers of America LLC Travel centers	Jun. 30, 2013 Travel Centers of America LLC Travel centers TA No. 1 Property	Jun. 30, 2012 Travel Centers of America LLC Travel centers TA No. 1	Jun. 30, 2013 Travel Centers of America LLC Travel centers TA No. 1 Property	Jun. 30, 2012 Travel Centers of America LLC Travel centers TA No. 1	Jun. 30, 2013 Travel Centers of America LLC Travel centers TA No. 2 Property	Jun. 30, 2013 Travel Centers of America LLC Travel centers TA No. 2 Maximum item	Jun. 30, 2013 Sonesta Sonesta agreements	Jun. 30, 2012 Sonesta Sonesta agreements	Jun. 30, 2013 Sonesta Sonesta agreements	Jun. 30, 2012 Sonesta Sonesta agreements	May 31, 2013 Sonesta Hotels	Jun. 28, 2013 Sonesta Hotels Property	Jun. 30, 2013 AIC	Jun. 30, 2013 AIC	Jun. 30, 2012 AIC	Jun. 30, 2013 AIC item	Jun. 30, 2012 AIC	Dec. 31, 2012 AIC	Jun. 30, 2013 AIC Maximum
Related Person Transactions
Percentage of ownership formerly held in subsidiary												100.00%
Number of common shares owned												2,540,000
Common shares of TA held by company as a percent of total TA shares outstanding												8.60%
Lessee as percentage of real estate properties												37.00%
Number of management agreements or leases	11		11													2		2
Number of properties leased																185		185		145		145		40
Term of renewal option																								15 years
Percentage of non-fuel revenue over threshold amounts																3.00%		3.00%
Percentage of fuel revenue over threshold amounts																0.30%		0.30%
Annual percentage rent to be waived																								$ 2,500
Ground rent payable per year																						5,150
Deferred rent due in December 2022																107,085		107,085
Deferred rent due in June 2024																42,915		42,915
Rental income	61,856	73,688	124,068	146,948												53,948	51,592	107,438	102,909
Adjustments included in rental income necessary to record rent on the straight line basis	36	(60)	98	294																432	(69)	899	287
Accruals for unpaid rent, excluding any deferred rents												30,650	29,300
Deferred rent accrued	672	1,253	1,282	2,562																672	471	1,282	1,200
Capital improvements from leased facilities, funded																		45,229
Increase in minimum annual rent			11,534											537				3,844
Increase in annual rent payable by TA as a percentage of the total investment														8.50%
Number of employees	0		0
Number of agreements to provide management and administrative services								2		2
Number of properties	475		475			185	290	1		1				3
Number of Managing Trustees who are Chairmen, majority owners and employees of RMR								1		1
Business and property management agreement expenses								10,050	9,934	19,967	18,582															2,379	1,173	3,851	1,633
Number of Managing Trustees who are Managing Directors												1
Number of renewal options available																									2
Number of travel centers at which Shell has agreed to construct a network of natural gas fueling lanes															100
Aggregate purchase price to acquire entity					150,500
Number of properties included in management agreement																															22
Amount expected to be invest for renovation																														4,600
Procurement and construction supervision fees																										1,141	0	1,623	0
Number of other companies to which management services are provided holding shares in related party																																			5
Equity method investments, ownership percentage																																12.50%	12.50%		12.50%			20.00%
Amount invested in equity investee																																5,209	5,209		5,209
Equity method investments, carrying value																																5,703	5,703		5,703		5,629
Earnings (losses) recognized related to equity investments	79	76	155	121																													79	76	155	121
Coverage of property insurance																																			500,000
Period for which property insurance program was extended																																1 year
Annual premium for property insurance																																$ 6,842