(Benefit) Provision for Income Taxes for Continuing Operations (Detail) (USD $) In Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2008
Reconciliation of Provision of Income Taxes [Line Items]
Current Federal		$ (7)
Current State	1	2	2
Current Foreign	4	4	3
Current Income Tax Expense (Benefit), Total	5	(1)	5
Deferred Federal	(31)	(33)	(11)
Deferred State	(6)	(7)	2
Deferred Foreign	1	2	1
Deferred income taxes	(36)	(38)	(8)
Income tax (benefit) provision - continuing operations	$ (31)	$ (39)	$ (3)

Reconciliation of Provision of Income Taxes [Line Items]

Name:	hst_ReconciliationOfProvisionOfIncomeTaxesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	hst
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The component of income tax expense for the period representing amounts paid or payable (or refundable) as determined by applying the provisions of enacted federal tax law to the domestic taxable income (loss) from continuing operations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)
-Number Topic 6
-Section I
-Paragraph Question 1-7

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 109
-Paragraph 289

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 109
-Paragraph 45

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 08
-Paragraph h
-Article 4

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CurrentFederalTaxExpenseBenefit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The component of income tax expense for the period representing amounts paid or payable (or refundable) as determined by applying the provisions of foreign enacted tax law to the foreign taxable income (loss) from continuing operations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 109
-Paragraph 45

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 08
-Paragraph h
-Article 4

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CurrentForeignTaxExpenseBenefit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The component of income tax expense for the period representing amounts of income taxes paid or payable (or refundable) for the period for all income tax obligations as determined by applying the provisions of relevant enacted tax laws to relevant amounts of taxable income (loss) from continuing operations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)
-Number Topic 6
-Section I
-Subsection 7

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 109
-Paragraph 289

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 08
-Paragraph h
-Article 4

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 109
-Paragraph 45
-Subparagraph a

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CurrentIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The component of income tax expense for the period representing amounts paid or payable (or refundable) as determined by applying the provisions of enacted state and local tax law to relevant amounts of taxable income (loss) from continuing operations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)
-Number Topic 6
-Section I
-Subsection 7

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 109
-Paragraph 289

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 109
-Paragraph 45

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 08
-Paragraph h
-Article 4

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CurrentStateAndLocalTaxExpenseBenefit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The component of total income tax expense for the period comprised of the net change during the period in the entity's domestic deferred tax assets and liabilities attributable to continuing operations as determined by applying the provisions of the federally enacted tax law.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 109
-Paragraph 8, 16, 17, 289

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 08
-Paragraph h
-Article 4

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)
-Number Topic 6
-Section I
-Subsection 7

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 109
-Paragraph 45
-Subparagraph b

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredFederalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The component of total income tax expense for the period comprised of the net change in the entity's net foreign deferred tax assets and liabilities attributable to continuing operations as determined by applying the provisions of applicable enacted tax laws of countries other than the country of domicile.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 109
-Paragraph 45
-Subparagraph b

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 109
-Paragraph 289

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 08
-Paragraph h
-Article 4

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)
-Number Topic 6
-Section I
-Subsection 7

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredForeignIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The component of income tax expense for the period representing the net change in the entity's deferred tax assets and liabilities pertaining to continuing operations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)
-Number Topic 6
-Section I
-Subsection 7

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 109
-Paragraph 45
-Subparagraph b

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 95
-Paragraph 28

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 109
-Paragraph 289

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 08
-Paragraph h
-Article 4

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The component of total income tax expense for the period comprised of the net change in the entity's state and local deferred tax assets and liabilities attributable to continuing operations as determined by applying the provisions of the applicable enacted tax laws.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredStateAndLocalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The sum of the current income tax expense (benefit) and the deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to pretax income (loss) from continuing operations; income tax expense (benefit) may include interest and penalties on tax uncertainties based on the entity's accounting policy.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 08
-Paragraph h
-Article 4

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name FASB Interpretation (FIN)
-Number 48
-Paragraph 15, 16, 19

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 109
-Paragraph 45, 46

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefitContinuingOperations
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration