Exhibit 23.1

                         Consent of Independent Auditors



We  consent to the  reference  to our firm under the  caption  "Experts"  in the
Registration  Statement  (Form S-3) and  related  Prospectus  of Senior  Housing
Properties  Trust for the  registration  of  $2,000,000,000  of debt and  equity
securities  and to the  incorporation  by reference  therein of our report dated
March 22,  2001,  with  respect to the  consolidated  financial  statements  and
schedules of Senior Housing Properties Trust included in its Annual Report (Form
10-K)  for the  year  ended  December  31,  2000,  and to the  incorporation  by
reference therein of our report dated August 25, 2000, except for Notes 8 and 13
as to which the dates are February 1, and January 10, 2001,  respectively,  with
respect to the  combined  financial  statements  of Certain  Mariner  Post-Acute
Network  Facilities  (Operated  by AMS  Properties,  Inc.  and GCI  Health  Care
Centers, Inc.,  wholly-owned  subsidiaries of Mariner Post-Acute Network, Inc.),
included in the Form 8-K of Senior  Housing  Properties  Trust dated January 30,
2001, as amended, both filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.


                                                     /s/ Ernst & Young LLP

                                                     Ernst & Young LLP



Boston, Massachusetts
January 10, 2002