Agreements and Transactions of Related Parties (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2007
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Management Fees Revenue	$ 14,840,000	$ 19,219,000	$ 51,279,000	$ 57,119,000
Incentive Termination And Subordinated Disposition Revenues	0	0	52,515,000	0
Structuring revenue	21,221,000	708,000	42,901,000	20,644,000
Wholesaling revenue	2,586,000	2,906,000	8,788,000	8,189,000
Reimbursed costs from affiliates	14,707,000	15,256,000	49,485,000	44,696,000
Deferred Revenue Recognized	2,123,000	0	3,538,000	0
Distributions of available cash (CPA:17 - Global only)	4,480,000	1,720,000	8,268,000	3,413,000		17,600,000
Revenue earned and cash received from REITs	59,957,000	39,809,000	216,774,000	134,061,000
Asset Management Fees [Abstract]
Asset management revenue is calculated as a percent of total average invested assets			1.00%
Performance revenue is calculated as a percent of total average invested assets			0.50%
Asset management revenue is calculated as a percent of average market value of real estate assets			0.50%
Asset management revenue is calculated as a percent of average equity value of securities			1.75%
Asset management revenue is calculated as a percent of average lodging-related assets			0.50%
Structuring Revenue [Abstract]
Acquisition revenue as a percent of total cost of all investments made by each CPA REIT			4.50%
Percent of structuring revenue paid on completion of transaction			2.50%
Percent of structuring revenue paid in annual installments			2.00%
Initial acquisition revenue percentage			2.50%
Maximum Percentage Of Revenue Earned On Initial Acquisition			6.00%
Unpaid Transaction Fee Interest Rate Minimum			5.00%
Unpaid Transaction Fee Interest Rate Maximum			7.00%
Accrued Acquisition Fees	31,022,000		31,022,000		31,419,000
Interest Earned On Unpaid Deferred Acquisition Fees	294,000	297,000	936,000	835,000
Reimbursed Costs From Affiliates And Wholesaling Revenue [Abstract]
Selling Commission Per Share Sold			$ 0.65
Dealer Revenue Per Share Sold			$ 0.35
Other Transactions With Affiliates [Abstract]
Income from noncontrolling interest partners	680,000	564,000	1,876,000	1,778,000
Deferred Rent Due To Affiliates			819,000		854,000
Payment For Special Interest			300,000
Equity Adjustment			28,300,000
Termination Revenue			31,200,000
Subordinated Disposition Revenue			21,300,000
Other Distributions Of Cash Received			10.00%
Average Estimated Minimum Lease Payments Of Limited Partnership	3,000,000		3,000,000
Special Loan To REIT	4,000,000		4,000,000
Interest Rate Of Special Loan To REIT			2.50%
Special Loan To Related Party REIT	90,000,000		90,000,000
Interest Rate Of Special Loan To Related Party REIT			1.15%
Loan To Affiliate	2,000,000		2,000,000
Interest Rate On Loan To Affiliate			0.90%
Repayment Of Loan To Affiliate Current Quarter	1,000,000		1,000,000
Repayment Of Loan From Affiliate Subsequent Quarter	1,000,000		1,000,000
Interest Income From Affiliates	200,000	100,000	200,000	100,000
CPA 14 And 16 Merger [Abstract]
Purchase price of remaining interests in a joint venture	31,800,000		31,800,000
Assumption of debt arising from merger			87,600,000
Shareholder Cash Option Arising From Merger			$ 11.5
Shareholder Share Option Available From Merger			1.1932
Base Net Asset Value Of Shares Received By Reit Shareholders			$ 10.5
Merger Consideration			954,500,000
Merger Consideration Liquidating Amount			444,000,000
Shares Issued to Liquidating Shareholders			57,365,145
Fair Value Of Shares Issued			510,500,000
Shares Received In Exchange From Liquidating Shareholders			48,076,723
Special Per Share Cash Distribution To Liquidating Shareholders			$ 1
Value Of Special Cash Distribution			90,400,000
Senior Credit Facility	320,000,000		320,000,000
Additional Shares Purchased			13,750,000
Value Of Additional Shares Purchased			121,000,000
Amount drawn down on senior credit facility			121,400,000
Termination Revenue Received In Shares Exchanged			3,242,089
Cash Received From Special Cash Distribution			11,100,000
Shares Received From REIT Arising From Merger			13,260,091
Capital Interest Of Managing Members			99.985%
Special Interest			0.015%
Reduced Asset Management Fee Percentage			0.50%
Previous Asset Management Fee Percentage			1.00%
Former Subordinated Incentive And Termination Fee Percentage			15.00%
Final Distribution Percentage			15.00%
Return On Managing Members Invested Capital Base			100.00%
Managing Members Priority Return			6.00%
Amortization Of Basis Differential Of Special Interest	200,000		400,000
Shares Received As Termination Revenue			2,717,138
Deferred revenue eliminated			6,000,000
Ownership interest in another reit			17.50%
Maximum [Member]
Other Transactions With Affiliates [Abstract]
Interest in joint ventures	95.00%		95.00%
Minimum [Member]
Other Transactions With Affiliates [Abstract]
Interest in joint ventures	5.00%		5.00%
Lodging Related Investments [Member]
Reimbursed Costs From Affiliates And Wholesaling Revenue [Abstract]
Selling Commission Per Share Sold			$ 0.7
Dealer Revenue Per Share Sold			$ 0.3
Minimum Offering Amount			10,000,000
Maximum percent of offering proceeds	2.00%		2.00%
Organization and offering costs incurred			4,600,000
Offering costs, obligation to reimburse			$ 800,000