Debt - Additional Information (Detail) shares in Millions						1 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Dec. 29, 2015 USD ($)	Oct. 14, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 10, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 15, 2015 USD ($)	May 15, 2015 USD ($)	Nov. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2015 USD ($) shares	Jul. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) Entity	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) shares		Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)		Jun. 27, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2009 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price of senior notes										$ 1,001,000,000		$ 150,000,000
Draws on credit facility									$ 734,000,000	845,000,000		4,000,000
Debt principal outstanding									3,673,000,000
Non-cash interest expense due to discount amortization									7,000,000	21,000,000		24,000,000
Total interest expense									154,000,000	227,000,000	[1]	207,000,000	[1]
Aggregate borrowing capacity									2,000,000,000					$ 1,000,000,000
Additional borrowing capacity									500,000,000
Credit facility									$ 1,206,000,000	1,291,000,000
Net proceeds from (repayment of) credit facility										120,000,000
Leverage ratio									2.4
Cash and cash equivalents									$ 372,000,000	221,000,000		666,000,000			$ 839,000,000
Assets that are secured by mortgage debt | Entity									1
Interest Expense
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Loss on extinguishment									$ 0	41,000,000		$ 4,000,000
Covenant Requiring Guarantees
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Leverage ratio									6.0
Revolver
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate borrowing capacity									$ 1,000,000,000
Credit facility maturity date									Jun. 27, 2018
Renewal period of credit facility									Two six-month renewal options
Line of credit interest terms									We pay interest on revolver borrowings under the credit facility at floating rates equal to LIBOR plus a margin
Facility commitment fee									0.20%
Credit facility									$ 209,000,000	295,000,000
Line of credit facility remaining borrowing capacity									788,000,000
Term Loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate borrowing capacity									$ 500,000,000
Credit facility maturity date									Jun. 27, 2017
Renewal period of credit facility									Two one-year renewal options
Credit facility									$ 997,000,000	$ 996,000,000
Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Net proceeds from (repayment of) credit facility									$ (82,000,000)
Revolving Credit Facility | LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis point addition									1.00%
Term Loan due September 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Draws on credit facility	$ 200,000,000		$ 300,000,000
Aggregate borrowing capacity			$ 500,000,000
Debt Instrument, term									5 years
Term loan, interest rate									1.90%
Credit facility									$ 500,000,000
Term Loan due September 2020 | LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis point addition									1.10%
Term Loan due June 2017
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Credit facility									$ 500,000,000
Foreign Currency Borrowings
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate borrowing capacity									500,000,000
Swingline Loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate borrowing capacity									100,000,000
Letter of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate borrowing capacity									$ 100,000,000
Upper Limit | Revolver | LIBOR | Investment grade
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis point addition									1.55%
Facility commitment fee									0.30%
Lower Limit | Revolver | LIBOR | Investment grade
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis point addition									0.875%
Facility commitment fee									0.125%
Series E senior notes 4% due June 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount of debt					$ 500,000,000
Proceed from issuance of note					$ 495,000,000
Debt interest rate					4.00%
Frequency of interest payable									Interest is payable semi-annually.
Maturity date					Jun. 15, 2025
Date of first payment					Jun. 15, 2015
Series X senior notes 5.875% due 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt interest rate				5.875%
Repayment of debt				$ 500,000,000
Redemption price of senior notes				$ 515,000,000
Series F senior notes 4.5% due February 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount of debt		$ 400,000,000
Proceed from issuance of note		$ 395,000,000
Debt interest rate		4.50%
Frequency of interest payable									Interest is payable semi-annually.
Date of first payment		Feb. 01, 2016
Series V senior notes 6% due 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt interest rate						6.00%
Repayment of debt						$ 500,000,000
Redemption price of senior notes						515,000,000
Draws on credit facility						$ 100,000,000
2.5% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2029
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt interest rate										2.50%						2.50%
Debt principal outstanding																$ 400,000,000
Exchangeable senior debentures, exchanged								$ 8,700,000		$ 399,000,000
Debt converted into shares of Host Inc. common stock | shares							32			32
Cash paid to redeem debentures							$ 1,000,000
Exchangeable Senior Debentures
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Contractual interest expense (cash)										$ 8,000,000
Non-cash interest expense due to discount amortization										13,000,000
Total interest expense										$ 21,000,000
Renewal options
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Credit facility maturity date									Jun. 27, 2019
Covenant Requirement | Credit facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt covenant compliance									As of December 31, 2016, we are in compliance with the financial covenants under our credit facility.
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.
Covenant Requirement | Upper Limit | Credit facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Leverage ratio									7.25
Covenant Requirement | Lower Limit | Credit facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured interest coverage ratio									1.75%
Fixed charge coverage ratio									1.25%
Cash and cash equivalents									$ 100,000,000
Debt Covenant | Less Restrictive Covenant
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Leverage ratio										6.0
Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount of debt									2,400,000,000	$ 2,400,000,000
Unamortized discount									$ 20,000,000	$ 24,000,000
Debt covenant compliance									As of December 31, 2016, we are in compliance with all of these covenants.
Senior Notes | Upper Limit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt repurchase authorized amount									$ 250,000,000
Mortgages
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt covenant compliance									As of December 31, 2016, we are in compliance with the covenants under our mortgage debt obligation.
Average interest rate									3.40%	4.70%

[1] Interest expense and interest paid for 2015 and 2014 include cash prepayment premiums of approximately $30 million and $2 million, respectively.