Income Taxes - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Number of subsequent years we may not able to qualify as REIT if failed to qualify for taxation as a REIT in any taxable year	4 years
Valuation allowance	$ 22	$ 23
Net (decrease) and increase in valuation allowance	1	22
Domestic and foreign net operating loss and capital loss carryovers	137
Deferred tax asset operating loss carryforwards	$ 43	63
Net operating loss carryover expiration date	Our net operating loss carryovers expire through 2035, and our foreign capital loss carryovers have no expiration period.
Net operating loss carryover expiration year	2035
Expiration of tax credits	Our alternative minimum tax and investment tax credit carryovers have no expiration period.
Total deferred tax assets, net of valuation allowance	$ 91	131
Cash paid for income taxes, net of refunds received	$ 15	9	$ 22
Statutory federal income tax rate	35.00%
Recognized material interest or penalties	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Lower Limit
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Open tax year by major tax jurisdiction	2013
Upper Limit
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Open tax year by major tax jurisdiction	2016
Mexico
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Valuation allowance	$ 22
Canada
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Reversal of valuation allowance recorded against the deferred tax asset	$ 3
Lower Limit
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Percentage of annual taxable income Host Inc is required to distribute	90.00%