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Equity Incentive Plan
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Share-based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]  
Equity Incentive Plan Equity Incentive Plan
 
Pursuant to the terms of the RLJ Lodging Trust 2015 Equity Incentive Plan (the "2015 Plan"), the Company may issue share-based awards to officers, employees, non-employee trustees and other eligible persons under the 2015 Plan. The 2015 Plan provides for a maximum of 7,500,000 Common Shares to be issued in the form of share options, share appreciation rights, restricted share awards, unrestricted share awards, share units, dividend equivalent rights, long-term incentive units, other equity-based awards and cash bonus awards.
 
Share Awards
 
From time to time, the Company may award unvested restricted shares under the 2015 Plan as compensation to officers, employees and non-employee trustees. The issued shares vest over a period of time as determined by the board of trustees at the date of grant. The Company recognizes compensation expense for time-based unvested restricted shares on a straight-line basis over the vesting period based upon the fair market value of the shares on the date of issuance, adjusted for forfeitures.

Non-employee trustees may also elect to receive unrestricted shares under the 2015 Plan as compensation that would otherwise be paid in cash for their services. The shares issued to non-employee trustees in lieu of cash compensation are unrestricted and include no vesting conditions. The Company recognizes compensation expense for the unrestricted shares issued in lieu of cash compensation on the date of issuance based upon the fair market value of the shares on that date.
 
A summary of the unvested restricted shares is as follows:
 202020192018
 Number of
Shares		Weighted-Average
Grant Date Fair
Value		Number of
Shares		Weighted-Average
Grant Date Fair
Value		Number of
Shares		Weighted-Average
Grant Date Fair
Value
Unvested at January 1, 940,202 $20.21 740,792 $21.89 700,325 $22.88 
Granted 801,463 11.95 530,436 18.69 592,673 21.42 
Vested (480,444)19.59 (312,131)21.63 (438,881)22.92 
Forfeited(8,993)18.80 (18,895)20.03 (113,325)21.58 
Unvested at December 31,1,252,228 $15.17 940,202 $20.21 740,792 $21.89 

For the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, the Company recognized approximately $8.7 million, $8.6 million and $10.2 million, respectively, of share-based compensation expense related to restricted share awards.

As of December 31, 2020, there was $13.7 million of total unrecognized compensation costs related to unvested restricted share awards and these costs are expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.4 years. The total fair value of the shares vested (calculated as the number of shares multiplied by the vesting date share price) during the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 was approximately $5.2 million, $5.5 million and $9.5 million, respectively.
 
Performance Units

From time to time, the Company may award performance units under the 2015 Plan as compensation to officers and employees. The performance units vest over a four years period, including three years of performance-based vesting (the “performance units measurement period”) plus an additional one year of time-based vesting. These performance units may convert into restricted shares at a range of 0% to 200% of the number of performance units granted contingent upon the Company achieving an absolute total shareholder return and a relative total shareholder return over the measurement period at specified percentiles of the peer group, as defined by the awards. If at the end of the performance units measurement period the target criterion is met, then 50% of the restricted shares will vest immediately. The remaining 50% will vest one year later. The award recipients will not be entitled to receive any dividends prior to the date of conversion. For any restricted shares issued upon conversion, the award recipient will be entitled to receive payment of an amount equal to all dividends that would have been paid if such restricted shares had been issued at the beginning of the performance units measurement period. The fair value of the performance units is determined using a Monte Carlo simulation, and an expected term equal to the requisite service period for the awards of four years. The Company estimates the compensation expense for the performance units on a straight-line basis using a calculation that recognizes 50% of the grant date fair value over three years and 50% of the grant date fair value over four years.
A summary of the performance unit awards is as follows:
Date of AwardNumber of
Units Granted
Grant Date Fair
Value		Conversion RangeRisk Free Interest RateVolatility
February 2018264,000$13.990% to 150%2.42%27.44%
February 2019260,000$19.160% to 200%2.52%27.19%
February 2020489,000$12.060% to 200%1.08%23.46%
For the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, the Company recognized approximately $3.5 million, $2.9 million and $2.1 million, respectively, of share-based compensation expense related to the performance unit awards.

As of December 31, 2020, there was $7.1 million of total unrecognized compensation costs related to the performance unit awards and these costs are expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.3 years.
 
As of December 31, 2020, there were 762,744 Common Shares available for future grant under the 2015 Plan, which includes potential Common Shares that may convert from performance units if certain target criterion is met.