Basis of Presentation	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2014
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	Basis of Presentation Our interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared, without audit, in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and, therefore, do not necessarily include all information and footnotes necessary for a fair statement of our consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S., or GAAP. In the opinion of management, the unaudited financial information for the interim periods presented in this Report reflects all normal and recurring adjustments necessary for a fair statement of financial position, results of operations and cash flows. Our interim consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with our audited consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes for the year ended December 31, 2013, which are included in the 2013 Annual Report, as certain disclosures that would substantially duplicate those contained in the audited consolidated financial statements have not been included in this Report. Operating results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of operating results for an entire year. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts and the disclosure of contingent amounts in our consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The unaudited consolidated financial statements included in this Report have been retrospectively adjusted to reflect the disposition (or planned disposition) of certain properties as discontinued operations for all periods presented. Basis of Consolidation Our consolidated financial statements reflect all of our accounts, including those of our controlled subsidiaries and our tenancy-in-common interests as described below. The portion of equity in a consolidated subsidiary that is not attributable, directly or indirectly, to us is presented as noncontrolling interests. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. At June 30, 2014, we had six investments in tenancy-in-common interests in various domestic and international properties, five of which we consolidate because we own 100% of these investments and account for the remaining jointly-owned investment using the equity method of accounting. Consolidation of the remaining investment is not required as such interest does not qualify as a VIE and do not meet the control requirement required for consolidation. Accordingly, we account for this investment using the equity method of accounting. We use the equity method of accounting because the shared decision-making involved in a tenancy-in-common interest investment provides us with significant influence on the operating and financial decisions of these investments. We apply accounting guidance for consolidation of VIEs to certain entities in which the equity investors do not have the characteristics of a controlling financial interest or do not have sufficient equity at risk for the entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support from other parties. Fixed price purchase and renewal options within a lease as well as certain decision-making rights within a loan can cause us to consider an entity a VIE. In connection with the CPA^®:16 Merger, we acquired 12 VIEs. We consider these entities VIEs because the leases have either fixed price purchase or renewal options. In connection with our acquisition of a property during the six months ended June 30, 2014 (Note 5), we assigned the property to a third-party special purpose entity, or SPE, and provided a loan to the SPE to purchase the property. The SPE is funded solely from that loan and does not have any equity investment at risk. As such, the SPE is deemed to be a VIE in which we are the primary beneficiary and which we consolidate. Additionally, we own interests in single-tenant net-leased properties leased to companies through noncontrolling interests in partnerships and limited liability companies that we do not control but over which we exercise significant influence. We account for these investments under the equity method of accounting. At times, the carrying value of our equity investments may fall below zero for certain investments. We intend to fund our share of the investments’ future operating deficits should the need arise. However, we have no legal obligation to pay for any of the liabilities of such investments nor do we have any legal obligation to fund operating deficits. At June 30, 2014, none of our equity investments had carrying values below zero. In June 2014, we filed a registration statement with the SEC to sell up to $1.0 billion of common stock of Carey Watermark Investors 2 Incorporated, or CWI 2, in an initial public offering plus up to an additional $400.0 million of its common stock under a dividend reinvestment plan. As of the date of this Report, the registration statement has not been declared effective by the SEC and there can be no assurance as to whether or when such offering would be commenced. Through June 30, 2014, the financial activity of CWI 2, which has no significant assets, liabilities or operations, was included in our consolidated financial statements. Recent Accounting Requirements The following Accounting Standards Updates, or ASUs, promulgated by the Financial Accounting Standards Board are applicable to us: ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). ASU 2014-09 is a comprehensive new revenue recognition model requiring a company to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of goods or services to a customer at an amount reflecting the consideration it expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. ASU 2014-09 does not apply to our rental revenues, but will apply to reimbursed tenant costs and revenues generated from our operating properties and our Investment Management business. Additionally, this guidance modifies disclosures regarding the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. ASU 2014-09 is effective for us in 2017, and early adoption is not permitted. In adopting ASU 2014-09, companies may use either a full retrospective or a modified retrospective approach. We are currently evaluating the impact of ASU 2014-09 on our consolidated financial statements and have not yet determined the method by which we will adopt the standard in 2017. ASU 2014-08, Presentation of Financial Statements (Topic 205) and Property, Plant, and Equipment (Topic 360). ASU 2014-08 changes the requirements for reporting discontinued operations. A discontinued operation may include a component of an entity or a group of components of an entity, or a business. Under this new guidance, a disposal of a component of an entity or a group of components of an entity is required to be reported in discontinued operations if the disposal represents a “strategic shift that has or will have a major effect on an entity’s operations and financial results.” The new guidance also requires disclosures including pretax profit or loss and significant gains or losses arising from dispositions that represent an “individually significant component of an entity,” but do not meet the criteria to be reported as discontinued operations under ASU 2014-08. In the ordinary course of business we sell properties, which, under prior accounting guidance, we generally reported as discontinued operations; however, under ASU 2014-08 such property dispositions typically would not meet the criteria to be reported as discontinued operations. We elected to early adopt ASU 2014-08 prospectively for all dispositions after December 31, 2013. Consequently, individually significant properties that were sold or classified as held-for-sale during 2014 were not reclassified to discontinued operations in the consolidated financial statements, but have been disclosed in Note 15 to the consolidated financial statements. By contrast, and as required by the new guidance, the results for the current and prior year period reflect as discontinued operations in the consolidated financial statements all dispositions and assets classified as held-for-sale through December 31, 2013 that were deemed under the prior accounting guidance to be discontinued operations, as well as those assets classified as held-for-sale as part of the CPA^®:16 Merger. This ASU did not have a significant impact on our financial position or results of operations for any of the periods presented. ASU 2013-11, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit when a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists. ASU 2013-11 requires an entity to present an unrecognized tax benefit relating to a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss or a tax credit carryforward as a reduction to a deferred tax asset except in certain situations. To the extent the net operating loss carryforward, similar tax loss or tax credit carryforward is not available as of the reporting date under the governing tax law to settle any additional income taxes that would result from the disallowance of the tax position, or the governing tax law does not require the entity to use and the entity does not intend to use the deferred tax asset for such purpose, the unrecognized tax benefit should be presented as a liability and should not be netted against a deferred tax asset. ASU 2013-11 became effective for us at the beginning of 2014. The adoption of ASU 2013-11 did not have a material impact on our financial condition or results of operations.

Basis of Presentation

Our interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared, without audit, in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and, therefore, do not necessarily include all information and footnotes necessary for a fair statement of our consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S., or GAAP.

In the opinion of management, the unaudited financial information for the interim periods presented in this Report reflects all normal and recurring adjustments necessary for a fair statement of financial position, results of operations and cash flows. Our interim consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with our audited consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes for the year ended December 31, 2013, which are included in the 2013 Annual Report, as certain disclosures that would substantially duplicate those contained in the audited consolidated financial statements have not been included in this Report. Operating results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of operating results for an entire year.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts and the disclosure of contingent amounts in our consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

The unaudited consolidated financial statements included in this Report have been retrospectively adjusted to reflect the disposition (or planned disposition) of certain properties as discontinued operations for all periods presented.

Basis of Consolidation

Our consolidated financial statements reflect all of our accounts, including those of our controlled subsidiaries and our tenancy-in-common interests as described below. The portion of equity in a consolidated subsidiary that is not attributable, directly or indirectly, to us is presented as noncontrolling interests. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

At June 30, 2014, we had six investments in tenancy-in-common interests in various domestic and international properties, five of which we consolidate because we own 100% of these investments and account for the remaining jointly-owned investment using the equity method of accounting. Consolidation of the remaining investment is not required as such interest does not qualify as a VIE and do not meet the control requirement required for consolidation. Accordingly, we account for this investment using the equity method of accounting. We use the equity method of accounting because the shared decision-making involved in a tenancy-in-common interest investment provides us with significant influence on the operating and financial decisions of these investments.

We apply accounting guidance for consolidation of VIEs to certain entities in which the equity investors do not have the characteristics of a controlling financial interest or do not have sufficient equity at risk for the entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support from other parties. Fixed price purchase and renewal options within a lease as well as certain decision-making rights within a loan can cause us to consider an entity a VIE. In connection with the CPA^®:16 Merger, we acquired 12 VIEs. We consider these entities VIEs because the leases have either fixed price purchase or renewal options. In connection with our acquisition of a property during the six months ended June 30, 2014 (Note 5), we assigned the property to a third-party special purpose entity, or SPE, and provided a loan to the SPE to purchase the property. The SPE is funded solely from that loan and does not have any equity investment at risk. As such, the SPE is deemed to be a VIE in which we are the primary beneficiary and which we consolidate.

Additionally, we own interests in single-tenant net-leased properties leased to companies through noncontrolling interests in partnerships and limited liability companies that we do not control but over which we exercise significant influence. We account for these investments under the equity method of accounting. At times, the carrying value of our equity investments may fall below zero for certain investments. We intend to fund our share of the investments’ future operating deficits should the need arise. However, we have no legal obligation to pay for any of the liabilities of such investments nor do we have any legal obligation to fund operating deficits. At June 30, 2014, none of our equity investments had carrying values below zero.

In June 2014, we filed a registration statement with the SEC to sell up to $1.0 billion of common stock of Carey Watermark Investors 2 Incorporated, or CWI 2, in an initial public offering plus up to an additional $400.0 million of its common stock under a dividend reinvestment plan. As of the date of this Report, the registration statement has not been declared effective by the SEC and there can be no assurance as to whether or when such offering would be commenced. Through June 30, 2014, the financial activity of CWI 2, which has no significant assets, liabilities or operations, was included in our consolidated financial statements.

Recent Accounting Requirements

The following Accounting Standards Updates, or ASUs, promulgated by the Financial Accounting Standards Board are applicable to us:

ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). ASU 2014-09 is a comprehensive new revenue recognition model requiring a company to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of goods or services to a customer at an amount reflecting the consideration it expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. ASU 2014-09 does not apply to our rental revenues, but will apply to reimbursed tenant costs and revenues generated from our operating properties and our Investment Management business. Additionally, this guidance modifies disclosures regarding the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. ASU 2014-09 is effective for us in 2017, and early adoption is not permitted. In adopting ASU 2014-09, companies may use either a full retrospective or a modified retrospective approach. We are currently evaluating the impact of ASU 2014-09 on our consolidated financial statements and have not yet determined the method by which we will adopt the standard in 2017.

ASU 2014-08, Presentation of Financial Statements (Topic 205) and Property, Plant, and Equipment (Topic 360). ASU 2014-08 changes the requirements for reporting discontinued operations. A discontinued operation may include a component of an entity or a group of components of an entity, or a business. Under this new guidance, a disposal of a component of an entity or a group of components of an entity is required to be reported in discontinued operations if the disposal represents a “strategic shift that has or will have a major effect on an entity’s operations and financial results.” The new guidance also requires disclosures including pretax profit or loss and significant gains or losses arising from dispositions that represent an “individually significant component of an entity,” but do not meet the criteria to be reported as discontinued operations under ASU 2014-08. In the ordinary course of business we sell properties, which, under prior accounting guidance, we generally reported as discontinued operations; however, under ASU 2014-08 such property dispositions typically would not meet the criteria to be reported as discontinued operations. We elected to early adopt ASU 2014-08 prospectively for all dispositions after December 31, 2013. Consequently, individually significant properties that were sold or classified as held-for-sale during 2014 were not reclassified to discontinued operations in the consolidated financial statements, but have been disclosed in Note 15 to the consolidated financial statements. By contrast, and as required by the new guidance, the results for the current and prior year period reflect as discontinued operations in the consolidated financial statements all dispositions and assets classified as held-for-sale through December 31, 2013 that were deemed under the prior accounting guidance to be discontinued operations, as well as those assets classified as held-for-sale as part of the CPA^®:16 Merger. This ASU did not have a significant impact on our financial position or results of operations for any of the periods presented.

ASU 2013-11, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit when a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists. ASU 2013-11 requires an entity to present an unrecognized tax benefit relating to a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss or a tax credit carryforward as a reduction to a deferred tax asset except in certain situations. To the extent the net operating loss carryforward, similar tax loss or tax credit carryforward is not available as of the reporting date under the governing tax law to settle any additional income taxes that would result from the disallowance of the tax position, or the governing tax law does not require the entity to use and the entity does not intend to use the deferred tax asset for such purpose, the unrecognized tax benefit should be presented as a liability and should not be netted against a deferred tax asset. ASU 2013-11 became effective for us at the beginning of 2014. The adoption of ASU 2013-11 did not have a material impact on our financial condition or results of operations.