Debt (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013 Hotels		Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013 Hotels		Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of encumbered hotels (in hotels)	47			47
Long-term Debt	$ 1,691,946,000			$ 1,691,946,000			$ 1,630,525,000
Interest expense	26,574,000		30,933,000	53,057,000		61,328,000
Interest income	22,000		35,000	45,000		83,000
Capitalized interest	2,900,000		3,300,000	5,700,000		6,600,000
Line of Credit [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Credit facility, capacity	225,000,000			225,000,000
Term of debt extension				1 year
Line of Credit [Member] | Libor Plus Three Point Three Seven Five Due June Two Thousand Sixteen [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of encumbered hotels (in hotels)	9			9
Variable rate basis				LIBOR
Variable rate basis spread	3.375%			3.375%
Long-term Debt	117,000,000			117,000,000			56,000,000
Mortgages [Member] | Four Point Nine Four Percent Due October 2022 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of encumbered hotels (in hotels)	1			1
Interest rate	4.94%			4.94%
Long-term Debt	31,945,000			31,945,000			32,176,000
Mortgages [Member] | Four Point Nine Five Percent Due October 2022 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of encumbered hotels (in hotels)	4	[1]		4	[1]
Interest rate	4.95%	[1]		4.95%	[1]
Long-term Debt	127,289,000	[1]		127,289,000	[1]		128,066,000	[1]
Mortgages [Member] | Six Point Six Six Percent Due June Through August 2014 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of encumbered hotels (in hotels)	5	[1]		5	[1]
Interest rate	6.66%	[1]		6.66%	[1]
Long-term Debt	64,396,000	[1]		64,396,000	[1]		65,431,000	[1]
Mortgages [Member] | Five Point Eight One Percent Due July 2016 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of encumbered hotels (in hotels)	1			1
Interest rate	5.81%			5.81%
Long-term Debt	10,157,000			10,157,000			10,405,000
Senior Notes [Member] | Six Point Seven Five Percent Due June 2019 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of encumbered hotels (in hotels)	6			6
Interest rate	6.75%			6.75%
Long-term Debt	525,000,000			525,000,000			525,000,000
Senior Notes [Member] | Five Point Six Two Five Percent Due March 2023 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of encumbered hotels (in hotels)	10			10
Interest rate	5.625%			5.625%
Long-term Debt	525,000,000			525,000,000			525,000,000
Senior Notes [Member] | Ten Point Zero Zero Percent Due October 2014 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of encumbered hotels (in hotels)	11			11
Interest rate	10.00%			10.00%
Long-term Debt	226,298,000			226,298,000			223,586,000
Other Debt [Member] | Libor Plus One Point Two Five Percent Due May 2016 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of encumbered hotels (in hotels)	0	[2]		0	[2]
Variable rate basis				LIBOR
Variable rate basis spread	1.25%			1.25%
Long-term Debt	64,861,000	[2]		64,861,000	[2]		64,861,000	[2]
Knickerbocker [Member] | Other Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Term of debt extension				1 year
Maximum Borrowing Capacity of Construction Loan	$ 85,000,000			$ 85,000,000

[1] This debt is comprised of separate non-cross-collateralized loans each secured by a mortgage of a different hotel.

[2] This loan is related to our Knickerbocker development project and is fully secured by restricted cash and a mortgage. Because we were able to assume an existing loan when we purchased this hotel, we were not required to pay any local mortgage recording tax. This loan, which allows us to borrow up to $85 million, can be extended for one year subject to satisfying certain conditions.