Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail)		3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Jan. 01, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) Hotel Fund Entity Contract GroundLease	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) Hotel Fund Entity Contract GroundLease	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) Property
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of hotels | Hotel		96								96
Cumulative effect of new accounting principle in period of adoption		$ 0								$ 0
Change on total revenues due to new accounting principle in period of adoption										5,430,000,000	$ 5,350,000,000	$ 5,321,000,000
Advances to and investments in affiliates		$ 286,000,000				$ 324,000,000				$ 286,000,000	324,000,000
Percentage of property revenue allocated for renewal and replacement capital expenditures		5.00%								5.00%
Impairment charges										$ 0	0	$ 6,000,000
Number of impaired assets | Property												1
Number of majority-owned partnerships that have third-party, non-controlling ownership interests that have been consolidated | Entity		4								4
Non-controlling interests—other consolidated partnerships		$ 39,000,000				40,000,000				$ 39,000,000	40,000,000
Number of majority-owned partnerships that have third-party, non-controlling ownership interests with finite lives | Entity		1								1
Majority-owned partnerships with mandatorily redeemable non-controlling interests, termination year										2095
Net income										$ 9,000,000	7,000,000	$ 9,000,000
Other-than-temporary impairment										$ 0	0	0
Percentage greater than threshold of income tax examination minimum likelihood of tax benefits being realized upon settlement		50.00%								50.00%
Net gain related to sale of assets, previously recognized in foreign currency translation and other comprehensive income (loss) of unconsolidated affiliates, reclassified										$ (17,000,000)	(3,000,000)
Stock-based employee compensation plans | Contract		2								2
Exposure risk related for derivative contracts		$ 12,000,000				17,000,000				$ 12,000,000	17,000,000
Number of ground leases | Hotel		26								26
Restricted cash included with cash and cash equivalents on the statement of cash flows		$ 2,000,000				15,000,000				$ 2,000,000	15,000,000
Equity Award Vesting Year One | Subsequent Event
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Equity award vesting period	1 year
Equity Award Vesting Year Two | Subsequent Event
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Equity award vesting period	2 years
Equity Award Vesting Year Three | Subsequent Event
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Equity award vesting period	3 years
2 Hotels in Chile and 4 Hotels in New Zealand
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Net gain related to sale of assets, previously recognized in foreign currency translation and other comprehensive income (loss) of unconsolidated affiliates, reclassified										$ (17,000,000)
Delta Meadowvale Hotel & Conference Centre and 3 hotels in New Zealand
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Net gain related to sale of assets, previously recognized in foreign currency translation and other comprehensive income (loss) of unconsolidated affiliates, reclassified											(3,000,000)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Other Types
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Estimated useful lives										3 years
ASU 2015-02
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Effect on equity due to new accounting principle in period of adoption		$ 0								$ 0
ASU 2015-02 | Restatement Adjustment
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Change on total revenues due to new accounting principle in period of adoption											(37,000,000)	(33,000,000)
Change on net income due to new accounting principle in period of adoption											(6,000,000)	(6,000,000)
ASU 2016-02
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of ground leases | GroundLease		26								26
Percentage of operating lease payments		85.00%								85.00%
ASU 2016-18 | New Accounting Pronouncement, Early Adoption, Effect
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Restricted cash included with cash and cash equivalents on the statement of cash flows		$ 175,000,000				$ 156,000,000				$ 175,000,000	156,000,000
Liability | ASU 2015-02 | Restatement Adjustment
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Adjustment applied due to new accounting principle in period of adoption											(150,000,000)
Liability | ASU 2016-02 | Minimum
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Adjustment applied due to new accounting principle in period of adoption										400,000,000
Liability | ASU 2016-02 | Maximum
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Adjustment applied due to new accounting principle in period of adoption										500,000,000
Assets | ASU 2015-02 | Restatement Adjustment
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Adjustment applied due to new accounting principle in period of adoption											$ (128,000,000)
Assets | ASU 2016-02 | Minimum
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Adjustment applied due to new accounting principle in period of adoption										400,000,000
Assets | ASU 2016-02 | Maximum
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Adjustment applied due to new accounting principle in period of adoption										$ 500,000,000
European Joint Venture
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of hotels | Hotel		10								10
Number of funds | Fund		2								2
European Joint Venture | Minimum
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Investment ownership percentage		32.10%				32.10%				32.10%	32.10%
European Joint Venture | Maximum
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Investment ownership percentage		33.40%				33.40%				33.40%	33.40%
European Joint Venture | Fund I
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Investment ownership percentage		32.10%								32.10%
Number of hotels | Hotel		3								3
European Joint Venture | Fund II
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Investment ownership percentage		33.40%								33.40%
Number of hotels | Hotel		7								7
Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort | General Partner
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Investment ownership percentage		49.90%								49.90%
HOST HOTELS & RESORTS, INC.
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Percentage of the common OP units		99.00%								99.00%
Change on total revenues due to new accounting principle in period of adoption		$ 1,337,000,000	$ 1,295,000,000	$ 1,459,000,000	$ 1,339,000,000	$ 1,326,000,000	$ 1,283,000,000	$ 1,439,000,000	$ 1,302,000,000
HOST HOTELS & RESORTS, INC. | General Partner
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Percentage of the common OP units		99.00%								99.00%
Houston Airport Marriott at George Bush Intercontinental | Variable Interest Entities
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Total assets of VIE		$ 60,000,000								$ 60,000,000
Liabilities of VIE		3,000,000								$ 3,000,000
Houston Airport Marriott at George Bush Intercontinental | General Partner
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
General partner and limited partner interest										85.00%
Philadelphia Marriott Downtown | Limited Partnership Interests Of Parent Company Ownership
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
General partner and limited partner interest										11.00%
Philadelphia Marriott Downtown | ASU 2015-02 | Variable Interest Entities Not Primary Beneficiary
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Advances to and investments in affiliates		(6,000,000)								$ (6,000,000)
HOST HOTELS & RESORTS L.P.
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Change on total revenues due to new accounting principle in period of adoption										5,430,000,000	$ 5,350,000,000	5,321,000,000
Advances to and investments in affiliates		$ 286,000,000				$ 324,000,000				$ 286,000,000	$ 324,000,000
OP units conversion basis										One OP unit may be exchanged for 1.021494 shares of Host Inc. common stock) valued at the market price of Host Inc.
Shares issuable upon conversion of one OP unit		1.021494				1.021494				1.021494	1.021494
Net gain related to sale of assets, previously recognized in foreign currency translation and other comprehensive income (loss) of unconsolidated affiliates, reclassified										$ (17,000,000)	$ (3,000,000)	$ 0
Restricted cash included with cash and cash equivalents on the statement of cash flows		$ 2,000,000				$ 15,000,000				$ 2,000,000	$ 15,000,000