Hotel Management Agreements and Leases - Hyatt Agreement (Details) - Hotel $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($) hotel	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($) hotel	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)
Management Agreements and Leases [Line Items]
Number of properties owned \| hotel	323		323
Hyatt Hotels Corporation
Management Agreements and Leases [Line Items]
Number of properties owned \| hotel	22		22
Operating agreement annual rent and return			$ 22,037
Realized returns and rents	$ 5,509	$ 5,509	16,528	$ 16,528
Guarantee provided to the entity, maximum	50,000		50,000
Increase in guarantee			3,517
Guarantee provided to the entity, remaining amount	$ 21,826		$ 21,826

Represents the amount of realized returns to the entity during the period.

No definition available.

Name:	hpt_HotelManagementAgreementRealizedReturns
Namespace Prefix:	hpt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Increase (Decrease) in Guarantee

No definition available.

Name:	hpt_IncreaseDecreaseinGuarantee
Namespace Prefix:	hpt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

No definition available.

Name:	hpt_ManagementAgreementsAndLeasesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	hpt_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Represents the minimum returns and rents payable to the entity.

No definition available.

Name:	hpt_OperatingAgreementAnnualRentAndReturn
Namespace Prefix:	hpt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Represents the amount of guarantee of performance, by a third party, under the terms of an operating agreement.

No definition available.

Name:	hpt_PropertyAgreementGuaranteeReceivedByEntityAmountMaximum
Namespace Prefix:	hpt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Represents the remaining amount of the guarantee of performance by a third party, under the terms of an operating agreement.

No definition available.

Name:	hpt_PropertyAgreementGuaranteeReceivedByEntityRemainingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	hpt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

The number of real estate properties owned as of the balance sheet date.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfRealEstateProperties
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Name:	us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis=us-gaap_HotelMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	hpt_ManagementAgreementContractNameAxis=hpt_HyattHotelsCorporationContractMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: