Debt - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended				1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended					1 Months Ended			12 Months Ended					1 Months Ended					12 Months Ended		1 Months Ended			1 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended					12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended				1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended									1 Months Ended			12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013 Entity	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2013 Interest Expense	Dec. 31, 2012 Interest Expense	Dec. 31, 2011 Interest Expense	Dec. 31, 2013 Covenant Requiring Guarantees	Jul. 31, 2012 Grand hyatt washington	Jul. 31, 2012 Foreign Currency	Dec. 31, 2013 Foreign Currency	Dec. 31, 2013 US Currency	Dec. 31, 2013 Foreign Currency Borrowings	Dec. 31, 2013 Swingline Loans	Dec. 31, 2013 Letter of Credit	Mar. 22, 2012 J W Marriott Washington D C	Jan. 31, 2014 Subsequent Event	Dec. 31, 2013 Subsequent Event	Dec. 31, 2013 Subsequent Event Credit facility	Dec. 31, 2013 Senior Notes	Dec. 31, 2012 Senior Notes	Dec. 31, 2013 Senior Notes Upper Limit	Feb. 28, 2014 Senior Notes Subsequent Event Upper Limit	Mar. 19, 2013 Series D senior notes 3.75% due October 2023	May 31, 2013 Series T senior notes 9% due May 2017	Sep. 30, 2013 Series Q senior notes 6.75% due June 2016	Jun. 30, 2013 Series Q senior notes 6.75% due June 2016	Dec. 31, 2012 Series Q senior notes 6.75% due June 2016	Dec. 31, 2013 Series Q senior notes 6.75% due June 2016	Dec. 31, 2013 Series Q senior notes 6.75% due June 2016 Subsequent Event	Mar. 31, 2013 Exchangeable 2004 senior debentures 3.25% due April 2024	Dec. 31, 2013 Exchangeable 2004 senior debentures 3.25% due April 2024	Dec. 31, 2012 Exchangeable 2004 senior debentures 3.25% due April 2024	Aug. 09, 2012 Series C senior notes 4.75% due March 2023	Sep. 05, 2012 Series O senior notes 6.375% due 2015	Aug. 27, 2012 Series O senior notes 6.375% due 2015	Sep. 05, 2012 Series Q senior notes 6.75% due 2016	Oct. 31, 2012 Exchangeable 2007 senior debentures 2.625% due April 2027	Apr. 16, 2012 Exchangeable 2007 senior debentures 2.625% due April 2027	May 29, 2012 Series S senior notes 6.875% due November 2014	Apr. 13, 2012 Series S senior notes 6.875% due November 2014	Mar. 22, 2012 Series A Senior Notes, 5.25% Due 2022	Dec. 31, 2013 Exchangeable 2009 senior debentures 2.5% due October 2029 D	Dec. 31, 2012 Exchangeable 2009 senior debentures 2.5% due October 2029	Dec. 22, 2009 Exchangeable 2009 senior debentures 2.5% due October 2029	Jul. 25, 2012 Term Loan	Dec. 31, 2013 Term Loan	Jul. 25, 2012 Term Loan LIBOR	Dec. 31, 2013 Term Loan Upper Limit	Dec. 31, 2013 Term Loan Upper Limit Investment grade	Dec. 31, 2013 Term Loan Lower Limit	Dec. 31, 2013 Term Loan Lower Limit Investment grade	Jan. 31, 2014 Term Loan Subsequent Event LIBOR	Dec. 31, 2013 Covenant Requirement Credit facility	Dec. 31, 2013 Covenant Requirement Upper Limit Credit facility	Dec. 31, 2013 Covenant Requirement Lower Limit Credit facility	Dec. 31, 2013 Revolver	Dec. 31, 2013 Revolver LIBOR	Dec. 31, 2013 Revolver Upper Limit	Dec. 31, 2013 Revolver Upper Limit Investment grade	Dec. 31, 2013 Revolver Upper Limit LIBOR	Dec. 31, 2013 Revolver Lower Limit	Dec. 31, 2013 Revolver Lower Limit Investment grade	Dec. 31, 2013 Revolver Lower Limit LIBOR	Jan. 31, 2014 Revolver Subsequent Event	Jan. 31, 2014 Revolver Subsequent Event LIBOR	Dec. 31, 2013 Debt Covenant	Dec. 31, 2013 Mortgages	Dec. 31, 2012 Mortgages	Dec. 31, 2013 HOST HOTELS & RESORTS, INC. Exchangeable 2009 senior debentures 2.5% due October 2029
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount of debt																				$ 3,100	$ 3,600			$ 400										$ 450								$ 350				$ 500
Unamortized Discount																				32	56																						29
Debt covenant compliance																				As of December 31, 2013, we are in compliance with all of these covenants.																																		As of December 31, 2013, we are in compliance with the financial covenants under our credit facility.														As of December 31, 2013, we are in compliance with the covenants under all of our mortgage debt obligations.
Debt interest rate																7.50%								3.75%	9.00%	6.75%	6.75%	6.75%	6.75%		3.25%			4.75%	6.375%	6.375%	6.75%		2.625%		6.875%	5.25%	2.50%
Proceed from issuance of note																								396										443								344
Repayment of senior notes																113									400	200	200	100	400	150					250	400	150			250	250
Redemption price of Senior notes	801	1,795	404																						418			102	404	152					253	404	153			508
Exchangeable Debentures																															174
Common stock issuances																															11.7
Common OP units issued																															11.5
Debentures redeemed for cash																															1							2	386
Debt principal outstanding	4,788																																										400		316
Debt issuance date																																											Dec. 22, 2009
Percentage of closing exchange price common stock																																											130.00%
Current equivalent exchange price																																											$ 17.40
Debt exchange description																																											at any time at which the closing price of Host Inc.’s common stock is more than 130% ($17.40) of the exchange price per share for at least 20 of the last 30 consecutive trading days of the calendar quarter or at any time up to two days prior to the date on which the 2009 Debentures have been called for redemption
Excess fair value over principal value																																											181
Current exchange rate for each $1,000 of principal																																																																						74.7034
Current equivalent exchange price																																											$ 13.39
Exchangeable share equivalents																																											29.9
Debt Instrument convertible threshold trading days																																											20
Debt Instrument convertible threshold consecutive trading days																																											30 days
Initial Equity Value of Exchangeable Debenture																																													82
Exchangeable senior debentures	371	531																														0	175										371	356
Debt Repurchase Authorized Amount																						680	530
Amount of borrowing capacity currently available under the credit facility	554																	779
Aggregate borrowing capacity	1,000												500	100	100
Additional borrowing capacity	500
Draws on credit facility	393	231	153						100	42	68	118
Repayments on credit facility	207	89	90								7						225		225
Debt instrument, interest rate terms																																														The Term Loan has a five-year maturity and a floating interest rate of LIBOR plus 165 basis points based on our leverage ratio, as defined in our credit facility, at December 31, 2013 (or approximately a 1.8% all-in interest rate).
Debt maturity period																																														5 years
Basis points addition																																																1.65%	2.65%	2.00%	1.65%	1.15%	1.45%					1.75%		1.60%	2.75%		1.00%	1.75%		1.25%
Debt interest rate																																															1.80%
Leverage ratio	3.2							6.0																																															7.25												6.0
Unsecured interest coverage ratio																																																								1.75
Fixed charge coverage ratio																																																								1.25
Debt instrument covenant description																																																						Additionally, total debt used in the calculation of our leverage ratio is based on a “net debt” concept, under which cash and cash equivalents in excess of $100 million are deducted from our total debt balance.
Cash and cash equivalents	861	417	826	1,113																																																				100
Line of credit interest terms																																															The interest rate margin on the Term Loan ranged from 165 to 265 basis points (depending on Host L.P.’s consolidated leverage ratio). On and after January 24, 2014, the date on which Host L.P. elected ratings-based pricing, we will pay interest on the term loan at floating rates plus a margin ranging from 115 to 200 basis points (depending on Host L.P.’s unsecured long-term debt rating). Based on Host L.P.’s unsecured long-term debt rating at January 24, 2014, the margin would be 145 basis points.										We pay interest on revolver borrowings under the credit facility at floating rates equal to LIBOR plus a margin. During 2013 and prior years, the margin ranged from 175 to 275 basis points (depending on Host L.P.’s consolidated leverage ratio). Based on our leverage ratio at December 31, 2013 of 3.2x, we would be able to borrow at a rate of LIBOR plus 175 basis points. When using leverage-based pricing, to the extent that amounts under the credit facility remain unused, we pay a quarterly commitment fee on the unused portion of the loan commitment of 25 to 35 basis points, depending on our average revolver usage during the applicable period.
Line of credit commitment fee																																																									To the extent that amounts under the credit facility remain unused, we pay a quarterly commitment fee on the unused portion of the loan commitment of 25 to 35 basis points, depending on our average revolver usage during the applicable period
Line of credit unused capacity commitment fee																																																											0.35%			0.25%
Facility commitment fee																																																												0.40%			0.15%		0.25%
Assets that are secured by mortgage debt	12
Average interest rate																																																																				4.10%	4.50%
Loss on extinguishment					36	30	9
Amortization of property and equipment under capital leases	$ 1	$ 1	$ 3