Segment Information (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	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 ($) segment	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Segment Information
Number of reportable segments | segment									2
Hotel operating revenues									$ 1,730,326	$ 1,634,654	$ 1,474,757
Rental income									312,377	283,115	258,062
FF&E reserve income									4,508	4,135	3,503
Total revenues	$ 479,278	$ 543,516	$ 550,299	$ 474,118	$ 467,440	$ 511,886	$ 507,066	$ 435,512	2,047,211	1,921,904	1,736,322
Hotel operating expenses									1,202,538	1,143,981	1,035,138
Depreciation and amortization									357,342	329,776	315,878
General and administrative									99,105	109,837	45,897
Acquisition related costs									1,367	2,375	239
Total expenses									1,660,352	1,585,969	1,397,152
Operating income									386,859	335,935	339,170
Dividend income									2,001	2,640	0
Interest income									274	44	77
Interest expense									(161,913)	(144,898)	(139,486)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt									(228)	0	(855)
Loss on distribution to shareholders of The RMR Group Inc. common stock					(36,773)				0	(36,773)	0
Income before income taxes, equity in earnings of an investee and gain on sale of real estate									226,993	156,948	198,906
Income tax expense									(4,020)	(1,566)	(1,945)
Equity in earnings of an investee									137	21	94
Income before gain on sale of real estate									223,110	155,403	197,055
Gain on sale of real estate									0	11,015	130
Net income	63,186	$ 51,812	$ 56,061	$ 52,051	(19,494)	$ 61,185	$ 83,146	$ 41,581	223,110	166,418	197,185
Total assets	6,634,228				6,394,797				6,634,228	6,394,797	5,967,127
Corporate
Segment Information
Hotel operating revenues											0
FF&E reserve income											0
Total revenues											0
Hotel operating expenses											0
Depreciation and amortization											0
General and administrative									99,105	109,837	45,897
Acquisition related costs									0	116	0
Total expenses									99,105	109,953	45,897
Operating income									(99,105)	(109,953)	(45,897)
Dividend income									2,001	2,640
Interest income									274	44	77
Interest expense									(161,913)	(144,898)	(139,486)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt									(228)		(855)
Loss on distribution to shareholders of The RMR Group Inc. common stock										(36,773)
Income before income taxes, equity in earnings of an investee and gain on sale of real estate									(258,971)	(288,940)	(186,161)
Income tax expense									(4,020)	(1,566)	(1,945)
Equity in earnings of an investee									137	21	94
Income before gain on sale of real estate										(290,485)	(188,012)
Net income									(262,854)	(290,485)	(188,012)
Total assets	120,747				62,088				120,747	62,088	24,383
Hotels | Operating segments
Segment Information
Hotel operating revenues									1,730,326	1,634,654	1,474,757
Rental income									33,202	32,533	32,668
FF&E reserve income									4,508	4,135	3,503
Total revenues									1,768,036	1,671,322	1,510,928
Hotel operating expenses									1,202,538	1,143,981	1,035,138
Depreciation and amortization									224,335	213,964	213,527
General and administrative											0
Acquisition related costs									1,367	2,259	239
Total expenses									1,428,240	1,360,204	1,248,904
Operating income									339,796	311,118	262,024
Interest income											0
Interest expense											0
Loss on distribution to shareholders of The RMR Group Inc. common stock										0
Income before income taxes, equity in earnings of an investee and gain on sale of real estate									339,796	311,118	262,024
Income tax expense											0
Equity in earnings of an investee											0
Income before gain on sale of real estate										311,118	262,024
Gain on sale of real estate											130
Net income									339,796	311,118	262,154
Total assets	4,005,481				3,892,316				4,005,481	3,892,316	3,748,062
Travel Centers | Operating segments
Segment Information
Hotel operating revenues											0
Rental income									279,175	250,582	225,394
FF&E reserve income											0
Total revenues									279,175	250,582	225,394
Hotel operating expenses											0
Depreciation and amortization									133,007	115,812	102,351
General and administrative											0
Acquisition related costs											0
Total expenses									133,007	115,812	102,351
Operating income									146,168	134,770	123,043
Interest income											0
Interest expense											0
Loss on distribution to shareholders of The RMR Group Inc. common stock										0
Income before income taxes, equity in earnings of an investee and gain on sale of real estate									146,168	134,770	123,043
Income tax expense											0
Equity in earnings of an investee											0
Income before gain on sale of real estate										134,770	123,043
Gain on sale of real estate										11,015	0
Net income									146,168	145,785	123,043
Total assets	$ 2,508,000				$ 2,440,393				$ 2,508,000	$ 2,440,393	$ 2,194,682