Indebtedness - Narrative (Details)				12 Months Ended
	Feb. 10, 2023 USD ($) property	Oct. 04, 2022 USD ($)	Apr. 14, 2022 USD ($) extensionOption	Dec. 31, 2022 USD ($) hotel	Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($) hotel	Feb. 06, 2023 USD ($)	Jun. 15, 2022	Apr. 13, 2022 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior unsecured notes, net				$ 5,655,530,000	$ 6,143,022,000
Revolving credit facility				0	1,000,000,000
Repayments of credit facility				1,020,000,000	62,451,000	$ 1,487,670,000
Loss on early extinguishment of debt				791,000	0	9,394,000
Repayments of term loan				0	0	$ 400,000,000
Senior Notes, 5.00 Percent, Due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Repayments of debt					$ 500,000,000
Interest rate stated percentage					5.00%			5.00%
Loss on early extinguishment of debt				201,000
Senior Notes, 5.00 Percent, Due 2022 | COVID-19
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured senior notes			$ 500,000,000
Senior Notes, 4.50 Percent, Due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate stated percentage		4.50%
Minimum restricted liability		$ 600,000,000		150,000,000
Unsecured senior notes		$ 500,000,000
Senior notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior unsecured notes, net				$ 5,700,000,000
Senior notes | Senior Notes, 4.50 Percent, Due 2023 | Subsequent event
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate stated percentage							4.50%
Unsecured senior notes							$ 500,000,000
Revolving credit facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Facility fee				0.30%
Interest rate (as a percent)				6.79%
Weighted average interest rate for borrowings (as a percent)				3.85%	2.85%	2.36%
Minimum restricted liquidity					$ 125,000,000
Extension term		6 months	6 months	6 months
Unsecured revolving credit facility maximum borrowing capacity			$ 800,000,000						$ 1,000,000,000
Number of extension options | extensionOption			2
Repayments of credit facility			$ 200,000,000
Loss on early extinguishment of debt				$ 590,000
Maximum purchase price of real property			$ 300,000,000
Fixed charge coverage ratio			1						1.5
Leverage ratio limit			70.00%						60.00%
Minimum restricted liability				$ 150,000,000		$ 125,000,000
Capital contributions			$ 100,000,000
Increase in aggregate limit of capital contributions			$ 50,000,000
Premium increase			0.25%
Revolving credit facility | TravelCenters of America LLC
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Ownership percentage (as a percent)			8.20%
Revolving credit facility | COVID-19
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured revolving credit facility maximum borrowing capacity					2,300,000,000
Revolving credit facility | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis points			2.50%	2.35%
LIBOR floor rate				0.50%
Revolving Credit Facility and Term Loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Properties with first mortgage liens | hotel				73		74
Undepreciated book value				$ 1,562,869,000
Revolving Credit Facility and Term Loan | Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Capital expenditures					250,000,000
Investment funding					$ 50,000,000
Medium-term Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Repayments of term loan						$ 400,000,000
Medium-Term Notes and Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Loss on early extinguishment of debt						$ 9,394,000
Mortages | Subsequent event
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount	$ 610,200,000
Debt instrument, collateral properties | property	308
Operating agreement annual rent and return	$ 65,273,000
Proceeds from debt	554,982,000
Gross book value	$ 754,841,000
Mortages | Coupon Rate 5.50% | Subsequent event
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate stated percentage	5.15%
Principal amount	$ 305,000,000
Debt instrument, monthly redemption price, percentage	0.50%
Mortages | Coupon Rate 5.55% | Subsequent event
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate stated percentage	5.55%
Principal amount	$ 173,000,000
Debt instrument, monthly redemption price, percentage	0.25%