EXHIBIT 99.1


For Immediate Release
Contact:  Chris Daly or Jerry Daly (media)        Ashish Parikh, CFO (investors)
          Ph:  (703) 435-6293                     Ph:  (215) 238-1046



       HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST ANNOUNCES PUBLIC OFFERING OF COMMON SHARES


     PHLADELPHIA, Pa., September 20, 2004-Hersha Hospitality Trust (AMEX: HT)
announced today that it has entered into an underwriting agreement with
Citigroup Global Markets Inc., pursuant to which it has agreed to sell to
Citigroup an aggregate of 3,500,000 of its common shares, raising proceeds of
approximately $xx million.  The underwriting agreement grants Citigroup a 30-day
over-allotment option to purchase up to an additional 525,000 common shares.

     The company expects to use the net proceeds of the offering to fund future
acquisitions, including acquisitions for which the company has a right of first
refusal or option that it has obtained for newly developed hotels, and for
general corporate purposes.  The closing of the offering of common shares is
subject to customary closing conditions as set forth in the underwriting
agreement.

     A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with
and declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission.  This
announcement shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer
to buy the company's securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities
or a solicitation of an offer to buy these securities in any state in which such
offer or solicitation would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification
under the securities laws of any such state.  Offers for the securities will be
made only by means of a



                                      -2-
prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus forming part of the
registration statement.  A prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus
relating to these securities, when available, may be obtained from Citigroup
Global Markets Inc., ATTN: Prospectus Department; 140 58th Street, 8th Floor;
Brooklyn, New York, 11220; or by calling (718) 765-6732.

ABOUT HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST

     Hersha Hospitality Trust is a self-advised real estate investment trust
that owns premium limited and full service hotels in the eastern United States
with strong, national franchise affiliations.  The company focuses on
acquisition and joint venture opportunities in primary and secondary markets
near major metropolitan markets.

     This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking
statements are statements that are not historical, including statements
regarding management's intentions, beliefs, expectations, representations, plans
or predictions of the future, and are typically identified by words such as
"believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "may," "will,"
"should," and "could." There are numerous risks and uncertainties that could
cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the
forward-looking statements. For a discussion of these factors, see the company's
report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003 under the section
headed "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results
of Operations-Risk Factors."