HOSPITALITY PROPERTIES TRUST
PRER14A, 1997-03-13
REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS
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           Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities
                              Exchange Act of 1934

Filed by the registrant  |X|
Filed by a party other than the registrant  |_|

Check the appropriate box:

|X|  Preliminary proxy statement           |_| Confidential, for use of the
                                               Commission Only  (as permitted by
                                               Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
|_|  Definitive proxy statement
|_|  Definitive additional materials
|_|  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-11(c) or Rule 14a-12

                          HOSPITALITY PROPERTIES TRUST
                (Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)


    (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if Other Than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
|X|  No fee required.
|_|  Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.
(1)      Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:


(2)      Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:


(3)      Per unit  price  or other  underlying  value  of  transaction  computed
         pursuant to  Exchange  Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the
         filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined):


(4)      Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:


(5)      Total fee paid:


|_|      Fee paid previously with preliminary materials:
|_|      Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange  Act
         Rule  0-11(a)(2)  and identify the filing for which the  offsetting fee
         was paid  previously.  Identify  the  previous  filing by  registration
         statement number, or the form or schedule and the date of its filing.

(1)      Amount Previously Paid:__________________________________________
(2)      Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:____________________
(3)      Filing Party:____________________________________________________
(4)      Date Filed:______________________________________________________


<PAGE>







                          HOSPITALITY PROPERTIES TRUST
                                400 Centre Street
                           Newton, Massachusetts 02158



                    NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

                             to be held May 20, 1997


To the Shareholders of
  Hospitality Properties Trust

         Notice is hereby  given that the  Annual  Meeting  of  Shareholders  of
Hospitality  Properties  Trust  (the  "Company")  will be held at 9:30  A.M.  on
Tuesday,  May 20,  1997,  at State Street Bank and Trust  Company,  225 Franklin
Street, 33rd Floor, Boston, Massachusetts, for the following purposes:

                  1.       To elect two  Trustees  in Group II of the  Company's
                           Board  of  Trustees.  
                  2.       To  consider  and act upon a  proposal  to amend  the
                           Declaration  of Trust to allow the Board of  Trustees
                           to increase or decrease the authorized  capital stock
                           of the Company.
                  3.       To  consider  and act upon such other  matters as may
                           properly come before the meeting.

         The Board of Trustees has fixed the close of business on March 24, 1997
as the record date for  determination of the shareholders  entitled to notice of
and to vote at the meeting.

                                            By Order of the Board of Trustees,



                                            JOHN G. MURRAY, Secretary

March __, 1997





        WHETHER OR NOT YOU EXPECT TO BE AT THE MEETING, PLEASE SIGN, DATE
            AND RETURN YOUR PROXY IN THE ENVELOPE ENCLOSED HEREWITH.



<PAGE>



                          HOSPITALITY PROPERTIES TRUST
                                400 Centre Street
                           Newton, Massachusetts 02158

                              ---------------------

                         ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
                       To Be Held on Tuesday, May 20, 1997

                                  INTRODUCTION

         A Notice of the  Annual  Meeting of  Shareholders  (the  "Meeting")  of
Hospitality Properties Trust (the "Company") is set forth on the preceding page,
and  there is  enclosed  herewith  a form of  proxy  solicited  by the  Board of
Trustees  of  the  Company.   This  proxy  statement  is  being  first  sent  to
shareholders  on or about March ___,  1997,  together  with a copy of the Annual
Report to Shareholders  for the year ended December 31, 1996 (including  audited
financial statements of the Company).

         Only  shareholders  of record as of the close of  business on March 24,
1997 (the  "Record  Date") are  entitled to notice of and to vote at the Meeting
and/or any  adjournment  thereof.  The  outstanding  stock of the Company on the
Record Date entitled to vote consisted of 26,871,395 common shares of beneficial
interest,  $.01 par value per share (the  "Common  Shares").  The holders of the
outstanding Common Shares are entitled to one vote per share.

         All Common Shares  represented by valid proxies received by the Company
prior to the Meeting will be counted for purposes of determining the presence of
a quorum and will be voted as specified in the proxies.  If no  specification is
made by the  shareholder,  the Common Shares will be voted FOR the proposals set
forth  below.  Proposals  set forth  below  require  the  affirmative  vote of a
majority of the Common Shares issued and outstanding. If a broker indicates on a
proxy  that it does not have  discretionary  authority  with  respect to certain
Common Shares to vote on a proposal,  those Common Shares will not be counted as
voting in favor of such proposal.  A shareholder giving a proxy has the power to
revoke it any time prior to its exercise by  delivering  to the Secretary of the
Company a written  revocation or a duly executed  proxy bearing a later date, or
by attending the Meeting and voting his or her Common Shares in person. Adoption
of the  proposals  presented  in this  proxy  statement  does not  give  rise to
appraisal rights or other dissenter's rights under Maryland law.

         The cost of this solicitation will be borne by the Company. In addition
to  solicitation  by mail,  the Trustees and officers of the Company may solicit
proxies personally or by telephone or telegram. The Company has also engaged the
firm of  Corporate  Investor  Communications,  Inc.  ("CIC")  to  assist  in the
solicitation  of proxies with respect to this Proxy  Statement.  The Company has
agreed to pay to CIC a fee of $5,000 and to reimburse it for certain expenses in
connection with such services.  The Company has also agreed to indemnify CIC for
certain  liabilities  and other matters in connection  with such  services.  The
Company  and CIC may  request  record  holders of the  Company's  Common  Shares
beneficially  owned by others  to  forward  this  supplemental  material  to the
beneficial  owners of such Common Shares and may reimburse  such record  holders
for their reasonable expenses incurred in doing so.

Item 1.  Election of Trustees in Group II of the Board of Trustees

         The number of Trustees of the  Company  currently  is fixed at five and
the Board of Trustees  currently  is divided into three groups with two Trustees
in Group I, two  Trustees in Group II and one Trustee in Group III.  Trustees in
each Group are elected to three-year terms.

         The business of the Company is conducted under the general direction of
the Board of Trustees as provided  by the Amended and  Restated  Declaration  of
Trust (the  "Declaration  of Trust") and the By-Laws of the Company and the laws
of the State of Maryland.

         The  Declaration  of Trust  provides  that a  majority  of the Board of
Trustees will be composed of Independent  Trustees who are not  affiliated  with
HRPT Advisors,  Inc., a Delaware  corporation which is the Company's  investment
advisor ("Advisors"), or with Health and Retirement Properties Trust ("HRP") and
who do not serve as officers of the

                                       

<PAGE>



Company.  Messrs.  John L.  Harrington,  Arthur G.  Koumantzelis  and William J.
Sheehan are the Company's Independent Trustees.

         The entire Board of Trustees  functions  as an  Executive  Compensation
Committee  to  implement  the  Company's  1995  Incentive  Share Award Plan (the
"Plan"). A subcommittee of the Executive  Compensation Committee composed of the
Independent  Trustees  reviews the  performance  of Advisors  under its advisory
agreement  with the Company (the "Advisory  Agreement")  and the award of Common
Shares,  other than awards of Common Shares to  Independent  Trustees  described
below,  under the Plan. See "Certain  Relationships and Related  Transactions --
Advisors and the Advisory  Agreement" and "Other  Information -- Incentive Share
Award Plan." The Executive Compensation Committee does not meet independently of
meetings  of the  Board of  Trustees.  The  Company  does not have a  Nominating
Committee.

         The Board of Trustees  maintains an Audit  Committee  consisting of the
three Independent Trustees. The Audit Committee makes recommendations concerning
the engagement of independent public  accountants,  reviews with the independent
public  accountants  the plans and  results  of the audit  engagement,  approves
professional services provided by the independent public accountants,  considers
the  appropriateness of audit and nonaudit fees charged and reviews the adequacy
of the Company's  internal  accounting  controls.  The Audit  Committee met four
times in 1996.

         During 1996,  the Board of Trustees held seven  meetings.  Each Trustee
attended  75% or more of the  total  number  of  meetings  of the  Board and any
Committee of which he was a member.

         The Company pays its Independent Trustees an annual fee of $20,000 plus
a fee of $500 for each meeting attended and reimburses  expenses incurred by its
Independent  Trustees for attending  meetings.  Under the Plan, each Independent
Trustee automatically receives an annual grant of 300 Common Shares at the first
meeting of the Board of Trustees  following each Annual Meeting of Shareholders.
See  "Other  Information  --  Incentive  Share  Award  Plan." In  addition,  the
Independent  Trustee serving as Chairman of the Audit Committee,  which position
rotates  annually among the  Independent  Trustees,  is paid $2,000 per year for
such service.

         The  present  Trustees  in Group II are Gerard M. Martin and William J.
Sheehan.  If re-elected,  Messrs.  Martin and Sheehan will hold office until the
Company's 2000 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.  To be elected,  each nominee for
Trustee of the Company must receive the vote of a majority of the Common  Shares
issued and  outstanding.  It is the  intention of the persons  authorized by the
enclosed proxy to nominate and elect Messrs.  Martin and Sheehan as the Group II
Trustees.  HRP and  Advisors,  which have voting  control  over an  aggregate of
4,713,403 Common Shares  (approximately  17.5% of Common Shares  outstanding and
entitled  to vote at the  Meeting),  intend to vote in favor of the  election of
Messrs. Martin and Sheehan as the Group II Trustees.

         The principal  occupations  for the past five years and age as of March
1, 1997 of Messrs. Martin and Sheehan are as follows:

GERARD M. MARTIN  Age:  62

         Mr.  Martin is a  Managing  Trustee  of the  Company.  Mr.  Martin is a
private investor in real estate and has been a Managing Trustee of HRP since its
organization  in 1986.  From 1985  until the merger of  Greenery  Rehabilitation
Group,  Inc.  ("Greenery")  into Horizon  Healthcare  Corporation  (now known as
Horizon/CMS   Healthcare    Corporation)   ("HHC")   in   February   1994   (the
"Horizon/Greenery  Merger"),  he  served  as the  Chief  Executive  Officer  and
Chairman of the Board of Directors of Greenery. Mr. Martin was a Director of HHC
prior to his  resignation  in July 1996.  Mr. Martin is currently a Director and
50%  shareholder  of Advisors.  Mr.  Martin  served as interim  President of the
Company from the Company's  formation  through John G. Murray's election to such
office in March 1996. Mr. Martin has been active in the real estate industry for
more than 30 years.


                                        2

<PAGE>



WILLIAM J. SHEEHAN  Age:  52

         Mr.  Sheehan  has been the  Chief  Financial  Officer  of Ian  Schrager
Hotels,  Inc. since May 1995. From 1993 through May 1995, Mr. Sheehan was a self
employed consultant on financial and operating matters to companies in the hotel
industry.  From 1982 until 1993 he was employed by Omni Hotels, most recently as
Vice Chairman (1992 to 1993) and President and Chief Executive  Officer (1988 to
1992). Prior to that time, he was a partner at Arthur Andersen & Co. (now Arthur
Andersen LLP). Mr. Sheehan is a certified hotel  administrator,  a Fellow of the
Educational Institute of the American Hotel and Motel Association and has been a
speaker at various hotel industry conferences .

         In  addition  to Messrs.  Martin and  Sheehan,  the  following  persons
currently  serve on the Board of Trustees or serve as executive  officers of the
Company.  Their principal  occupations for the last five years and their ages as
of March 1, 1997 are as follows:

JOHN L. HARRINGTON  Age:  60

         Mr.  Harrington has been the Chief Executive  Officer of the Boston Red
Sox Baseball Club for at least five years and is Executive  Director and Trustee
of the Yawkey  Foundation and a Trustee of the JRY Trust. Mr. Harrington is also
a director of a bank subsidiary of Fleet Financial  Group,  Inc. Mr.  Harrington
was a Trustee of HRP from 1991 through August 1995. Mr.  Harrington is a Group I
Trustee; his term will expire at the 1999 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.

ARTHUR G. KOUMANTZELIS  Age:  66

         Mr.  Koumantzelis  has been Senior Vice  President and Chief  Financial
Officer of Cumberland Farms,  Inc. since July 1990.  Cumberland Farms, Inc. is a
private company engaged in the  convenience  store business in the  northeastern
United States and Florida and in the distribution and retail sale of gasoline in
the  northeastern  United  States.  Cumberland  Farms,  Inc.  filed a  voluntary
petition under Chapter 11 of the United States  Bankruptcy  Code in May 1992 and
subsequently   emerged  from  bankruptcy   proceedings  in  December  1993.  Mr.
Koumantzelis   was  a  Trustee  of  HRP  from  1992  through  August  1995.  Mr.
Koumantzelis  is a Group III  Trustee;  his term will  expire at the 1998 Annual
Meeting of Shareholders.

BARRY M. PORTNOY  Age:  51

         Mr.  Portnoy has been a partner in the law firm of Sullivan & Worcester
LLP, counsel to the Company, since 1978. Mr. Portnoy has been a Managing Trustee
of the Company since its  organization on May 12, 1995 and has been a Trustee of
HRP since its  organization  in 1986. Mr. Portnoy was a Director of HHC prior to
his  resignation  in July 1996.  Mr.  Portnoy is  currently  a Director  and 50%
shareholder of Advisors.  Mr. Portnoy has been actively  involved in real estate
and real estate finance  activities for approximately 20 years. Mr. Portnoy is a
Group  I  Trustee;   his  term  will  expire  at  the  1999  Annual  Meeting  of
Shareholders.

JOHN G. MURRAY  Age:  36

         Mr. Murray is the President,  Chief Operating  Officer and Secretary of
the Company.  Mr. Murray is also Executive  Vice  President and Chief  Financial
Officer of Advisors.  Prior to his election to the office of President and Chief
Operating  Officer in March 1996,  Mr. Murray also served as Treasurer and Chief
Financial  Officer of the Company.  Mr. Murray served in various  capacities for
HRP from 1993 through August 1995 and for Advisors since 1993. Mr. Murray served
as Director of Finance,  Business  Analysis and  Planning at Fidelity  Brokerage
Services,  Inc.  from 1992 to 1993 and served as Director of  Acquisitions  from
1990  through  1991.  Prior to 1990,  Mr.  Murray  was a senior  manager  at the
accounting firm of Arthur Young & Company (now Ernst & Young LLP). Mr. Murray is
a certified public accountant.


                                        3

<PAGE>



THOMAS M. O'BRIEN  Age:  30

         Mr.  O'Brien  is the  Treasurer  and  Chief  Financial  Officer  of the
Company. Mr. O'Brien is also a Vice President and employee of Advisors. Prior to
his  election to such office in March 1996,  Mr.  O'Brien was employed by Arthur
Andersen  LLP for more  than five  years.  Mr.  O'Brien  is a  certified  public
accountant.

Item 2.  Proposal  to Amend  the  Declaration  of Trust  to Allow  the  Board of
         Trustees to Increase or Decrease the  Authorized  Capital  Stock of the
         Company.

         On February 5, 1997,  in response to a recent  change in Maryland  law,
the Board of Trustees  approved and  recommended for  shareholder  approval,  an
amendment to the  Declaration  of Trust (the "Proposed  Amendment")  which would
allow the Board of  Trustees  to amend the  Declaration  of Trust to increase or
decrease the authorized  capital stock of the Company without the requirement of
shareholder approval. The Board of Trustees recommends a vote "FOR" the Proposed
Amendment.  The  full  text of the  Proposed  Amendment  to  Section  5.1 of the
Declaration  of Trust is  included  as  Appendix A to this Proxy  Statement.  If
approved by the shareholders,  the Proposed Amendment will become effective upon
the filing of an amendment to the Declaration of Trust with the State Department
of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland,  which will occur as soon as reasonably
practicable.

Purpose and Effect of the Proposed Amendment

         The  Proposed  Amendment  is in response  to a change in Maryland  law,
effective  October 1, 1995,  which allows a  declaration  of trust of a Maryland
real estate  investment  trust to provide  that "the board of trustees may amend
the declaration of trust to increase or decrease the aggregate  number of shares
or the number of shares of any class that the trust has authority to issue." The
Board of  Trustees  believes  that the  Company's  ability to finance its growth
through  acquisitions  of  properties,  merger or otherwise is dependent in part
upon ready access to the public equity markets.  In order to respond quickly and
on an ongoing basis to opportunities for favorable access to the public markets,
the Company  must be able to issue  Shares (as defined  below)  quickly,  as the
Board of Trustees deems  advisable.  In addition,  the Company may in the future
acquire properties for a purchase price payable, in whole or in part, in Shares.
The Proposed  Amendment will facilitate the Company's ability to enter into such
transactions.  The time and  expense  of  repeated  solicitation  of  proxies to
increase the number of authorized  Shares may have a material negative impact on
the Company's  ability to do so in the future.  As of March 4, 1997, the Company
had  issued  26.9% of its  authorized  Common  Shares.  Although  the  remaining
authorized Common Shares as of March 1, 1996, 73,128,605, may be adequate in the
near  term,  it is the  belief of the  Board of  Trustees  that the  flexibility
provided by the Proposed  Amendment is in the best  interests of the Company and
its shareholders.

         The Company has no present  intention,  agreement or  understanding  to
authorize or issue Shares in excess of those  currently  authorized  nor does it
have any present intention, agreement or understanding to decrease the number of
Shares authorized.  Assuming adoption of the Proposed  Amendment,  Shares of the
Company  may be  authorized  and  issued  or the  number  of  Shares  authorized
decreased without further action by the shareholders.

         As with any issuance of equity,  the issuance of additional  Shares now
or in the future could have some dilutive  effect upon the earnings per share of
the Company and voting rights of the existing shareholders. Such dilution may be
greater or lesser  depending upon whether such  additional  Shares are Common or
Preferred Shares (as defined below) and, if Preferred Shares,  the terms of such
Preferred  Shares  which  may be  set  by the  Board  of  Trustees  in its  sole
discretion.

         The Proposed Amendment is not intended to have an anti-takeover effect.
The  Proposed  Amendment  is not being  recommended  in response to any specific
effort of which the  Company  is aware to obtain  control  of the  Company.  The
Company is not aware of any existing or planned effort on the part of any person
to accumulate  significant  amounts of its Shares,  or to acquire control of the
Company by means of a merger,  tender offer, proxy solicitation in opposition to
management or otherwise.


                                        4

<PAGE>



         For the Company to qualify as a real estate  investment  trust ("REIT")
under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), in any taxable
year,  not  more  than  50% in value of its  outstanding  Shares  may be  owned,
directly or indirectly by five or fewer  individuals  during the last six months
of such year,  and the  Shares  must be owned by 100 or more  persons  during at
least 335 days of a taxable year or a proportionate  part of a taxable year less
than 12 months. In connection with the foregoing,  if the Trustees shall, at any
time and in good faith,  be of the opinion that direct or indirect  ownership of
Shares representing more than 9.8% in number, value or voting power of the total
Shares outstanding has or may become concentrated in the hands of one beneficial
owner, other than Excepted Persons (as defined in the Declaration of Trust), the
Trustees  shall have the power to redeem or  prohibit  the  transfer of all or a
part of the affected  Shares.  Further the  Declaration  of Trust  provides that
transfers or purported acquisitions,  directly, indirectly or by attribution, of
Shares,   or  securities   convertible   into  Shares,   that  could  result  in
disqualification  of the  Company  as a REIT are null and void and  permits  the
Trustees to repurchase  Shares or other  securities  to the extent  necessary to
maintain the Company's status as a REIT.

         The  Declaration of Trust does not contain a special  voting  provision
relating to business combinations and the Company has elected not to be governed
by the  provisions  of  Subtitle  6 and 7 of  Title  3 of the  Corporations  and
Associations  Article  of the  Annotated  Code of  Maryland  regarding  business
combinations.

   
         The Board of Trustees also has under active consideration and has voted
to proceed to implement a shareholder rights plan. The plan, if finally approved
by the Board of Trustees,  would operate in general as follows. Each shareholder
would receive one right (a "Right") for each Common Share held. Each Right would
entitle the holder to buy a specified  percentage  of a share of a newly created
series of preferred  shares of beneficial  interest for an exercise  price to be
set forth in the plan. As a general  matter,  Rights would be  exercisable  at a
specified  time  after a person  or group  acquired  beneficial  ownership  of a
specified  percentage of the Common  Shares or began a tender or exchange  offer
for such  specified  percentage  or more of the Common  Shares or if the Company
were involved in certain mergers or business combinations.  As a general matter,
each Right would entitle its holder, other than the acquiring person or group or
certain related  parties,  to purchase  Common Shares (or, in some cases,  cash,
property  or other  securities  of the  Company)  having  twice the value of the
exercise price. Under certain circumstances,  the Company would retain the right
to redeem Rights at a nominal price. The plan would be subject to amendment from
time to time by the  Board of  Trustees.  Rights  would be  nonvoting  and would
expire  after a period of time.  The plan is not  currently in effect and may be
abandoned prior to the implementation, and any such plan, if implemented, may be
modified from the proposal described above.

         The  provisions  of the  Declaration  of  Trust,  the  grouping  of the
Company's Board of Trustees into three groups with staggered terms of office and
the  shareholder  rights plan  described  in the  paragraph  above,  when and if
adopted,  may have the effect of discouraging  unilateral tender offers or other
takeover  proposals or proxy contests which certain  shareholders  might deem in
their  interests or pursuant to which they might receive a  substantial  premium
for their Shares.  While not proposed for that purpose,  the Proposed  Amendment
will grant to the Board of Trustees  greater  authority to  authorize  and issue
Shares  of any  series  or  class.  Such  authority  could  be used in  order to
discourage,  and the existence of such  authority  could also  discourage,  such
tender offers,  proposals or contests.  The provisions  discussed  above and the
Proposed  Amendment could also have the effect of insulating  current management
against the  possibility of removal and could,  by possibly  reducing  temporary
fluctuations  in  market  price  caused  by  accumulations  of  Shares,  deprive
shareholders of opportunities to sell at a temporarily higher market price.
    

Capital Stock of the Company

         The Declaration of Trust  currently  authorizes the Company to issue an
aggregate  of  200,000,000  shares  of  beneficial  interest  ("Shares")  in the
Company,  including (i) 100,000,000 Common Shares, par value $.01 per share, and
(ii)  100,000,000  Preferred  Shares,  par value $.01 per share (the  "Preferred
Shares"). As of March 4, 1997, there were 26,871,395 Shares outstanding,  all of
which were Common  Shares.  The  Declaration  currently  authorizes the Board of
Trustees to cause the  issuance,  without  shareholder  approval,  of classes or
series of Preferred Shares from time to time and to set (or change, if the class
or series has been previously established) the preferences,  conversion or other
rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends, qualifications
or terms and  conditions  of redemption  of such  Preferred  Shares that are not
prohibited by the Declaration of Trust or applicable law.

                                        5

<PAGE>



         Except as otherwise determined by the Board of Trustees with respect to
any  class or series of  Preferred  Shares,  all  Shares:  (i) will  participate
equally in dividends  payable to  shareholders  when,  as and if declared by the
Trustees and ratably in net assets available for distribution to shareholders on
liquidation  or  dissolution;  (ii) will have one vote per share on all  matters
submitted to a vote of the  shareholders;  (iii) will not have cumulative voting
rights  in  the  election  of  Trustees;  and  (iv)  will  have  no  preference,
conversion,  exchange,  sinking fund, redemption rights or preemptive or similar
rights.

         Upon  issuance  in  accordance   with  the  Declaration  of  Trust  and
applicable  law the  Company's  Shares  are fully  paid and  nonassessable.  The
holders of Shares do not have preemptive  rights with respect to the issuance of
additional  Shares  or other  securities  of the  Company.  The  authorized  but
unissued  Shares are  available for issuance from time to time by the Company at
the sole  discretion  of its Board of  Trustees  without  further  action by the
Company's shareholders, except as may be required by applicable law or the rules
of the  New  York  Stock  Exchange  or any  other  stock  exchange  or  national
securities  association  trading system on which the securities may be listed or
traded,  for any proper trust  purpose,  which could  include  raising  capital,
providing  compensation  or  benefits to  employees  and  others,  paying  stock
dividends or acquiring companies, businesses or properties.

Vote Required for Approval

         The  affirmative  vote of the  holders of a majority  of the issued and
outstanding Common Shares is required to adopt the Proposed Amendment.

The Board of Trustees  Recommends  That the  Shareholders  Vote FOR the Proposed
Amendment to the Declaration of Trust.


                                OTHER INFORMATION

Compensation of Executive Officers

         The Company does not have any employees; services which otherwise would
be provided by  employees  are  performed  by Advisors  pursuant to the Advisory
Agreement and by the Managing Trustees and officers of the Company.  Payments by
the Company to Advisors  are  described  in "Certain  Relationships  and Related
Transactions -- Advisors and the Advisory Agreement."

         The following  table  provides  summary  compensation  information  for
executive officers of the Company since the Company's formation in 1995:


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                     SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE

                                       Annual Compensation(1)                                Long-Term Compensation
                               ---------------------------------------     ---------------------------------------------------------
                                                                           Restricted     Securities
                                                          Other Annual       Stock        Underlying                      All Other
Name and Principal Position    Year     Salary   Bonus    Compensation     Awards(2)     Options/SARs    LTIP Payouts   Compensation
- ---------------------------    ----     ------   -----    ------------     ---------     ------------    ------------   ------------
<S>                            <C>       <C>      <C>         <C>              <C>           <C>             <C>            <C>
John G. Murray, President &
Chief Operating Officer (chief
executive officer)..........   1996      None     None        None             $ 53,250      None            None           None

                               1995      None     None        None                 None      None            None           None

Thomas M. O'Brien, Treasurer
& Chief Financial Officer...   1996      None     None        None             $ 39,938      None            None           None

                               1995      None     None        None                 None      None            None           None


                                    6

<PAGE>




Adam D. Portnoy, Vice
President(3)................   1996      None     None        None             $ 26,625      None            None           None

Gerard M. Martin(4).........   1996      None     None        None                 None      None            None           None

                               1995      None     None        None                 None      None            None           None

<FN>
(1)      Except with respect to incentive share awards, the Company has not paid
         and has no current plans to pay compensation to its executive officers.
         Advisors,  which  conducts the  day-to-day  operations  of the Company,
         compensated  Messrs.  Murray,  O'Brien and Portnoy in  connection  with
         their services to Advisors and to the Company.

(2)      All incentive share awards have been granted  pursuant to the Plan and,
         except as otherwise  described in Note 3 below,  each provides that one
         third of each annual incentive share award vests immediately upon grant
         and one third  vests on each of the first and second  anniversaries  of
         the grant.  In the event any executive  officer who has been granted an
         incentive  share  award  ceases to perform  the duties of an  executive
         officer of the Company  during the vesting  period of such award,  that
         executive  officer will only be entitled to retain the number of Shares
         which have vested up to the date of his  departure,  unless  vesting of
         Shares is accelerated  by the Board of Trustees.  At December 31, 1996,
         Messrs.  Murray,  O'Brien  and Portnoy  held 2,000,  1,500 and 1,000 of
         Common   Shares   granted   under  annual   incentive   share   awards,
         respectively,   having  a  value  of   $58,000,   $43,500  and  $29,000
         respectively,  based upon a $29 per share  closing price for the Common
         Shares as reported on the New York Stock Exchange on December 31, 1996.
         Common Shares are entitled to dividends as declared by the Company. The
         dollar  amounts  shown in the table  represent the number of restricted
         Shares  which  have  vested  or  continue  to  be  subject  to  vesting
         multiplied  by the closing  price for the Common Shares on the New York
         Stock Exchange on the date of grant.

(3)      Mr. Adam Portnoy, the son of Barry M. Portnoy, served as Vice President
         during a portion of 1996 until January of 1997. The 1,000 Common Shares
         held by him under the Plan became fully vested in 1997.

(4)      Mr.  Martin  served  as  interim  President  of the  Company  from  the
         Company's formation through John G. Murray's election to such office in
         March 1996. He received no compensation in such capacity.
</FN>
</TABLE>

Incentive Share Award Plan

         The Company  adopted the Plan prior to its initial  public  offering of
Common Shares and has reserved  100,000  Common  Shares for grant  thereunder to
Independent  Trustees and officers of, and consultants (other than Advisors) to,
the Company.  The  officers of the Company are  employees of Advisors and not of
the Company and therefore receive their salary  compensation from Advisors.  The
Company  has  established  the Plan in order to provide  it with a vehicle  with
which to foster a continuing  identity of interest among the Company's  officers
and Independent Trustees and the Company's  shareholders.  In addition, the Plan
permits the Company to compensate  its officers for the  performance  of certain
duties  which  fall  outside  the  scope of  services  covered  by the  Advisory
Agreement. The Company currently has three Independent Trustees and two officers
eligible for grants under the Plan.

         The  Plan  is   administered   by  a  subcommittee   of  the  Executive
Compensation  Committee  comprised  of  the  Independent  Trustees.  Except  for
automatic grants to the Independent  Trustees,  each award must be approved by a
majority of the Independent  Trustees.  In connection  with any such award,  the
Independent  Trustees are  authorized  to determine the amount and timing of the
award and the extent to which vesting restrictions, if any, apply to the granted
Common  Shares.  4,500 Common  Shares were granted under the Plan during 1996 to
officers of the Company in addition to the automatic  awards to the  Independent
Trustees described below.


                                       7

<PAGE>



         The  Independent  Trustees  automatically  receive grants of 300 Common
Shares per year as part of their annual  compensation.  The Independent Trustees
are ineligible for other grants of Common Shares under the Plan. On May 21, 1996
each of the Independent Trustees received an award of 300 Common Shares,  having
an  aggregate  value of  $23,288  (based on the $257/8  closing  price of Common
Shares on the New York Stock  Exchange  on the date of  issuance  of such Common
Shares).

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

         The Company has an Executive  Compensation  Committee  comprised of the
entire Board of Trustees. A subcommittee of the Executive Compensation Committee
composed of the  Independent  Trustees  (Messrs.  Harrington,  Koumantzelis  and
Sheehan)  makes  recommendations  for  grants of shares  under the Plan and such
recommendations are acted upon by the full Board of Trustees.  Gerard M. Martin,
a member of the Board of Trustees, was the President of the Company prior to Mr.
Murray's  election  in March 1996 and Barry M.  Portnoy,  another  member of the
Board of Trustees, is a partner in the firm of Sullivan & Worcester LLP, counsel
of the Company.

Performance Graph--Comparison of Cumulative Total Return

         The  graph  below  shows,  for the  periods  indicated,  the  Company's
cumulative  total  shareholder  return on its  Common  Shares  (assuming  a $100
investment  on August 31, 1995,  the first day following the beginning of public
trading in the Company's  Common Shares on the New York Stock Exchange for which
all  information set forth below is available) as compared with (a) the Standard
& Poor's 500 Index and (b) the National  Association  of Real Estate  Investment
Trust, Inc.'s index of all tax-qualified real estate investment trusts listed on
the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ/National
Market System (NAREIT). The comparison assumes all dividends are reinvested.


          Measurement Period            HPT        NAREIT        S&P 500 Index
          ------------------            ---        ------        -------------

           August 31, 1995              100          100              100
          December 31, 1995             110          106              110
          December 31, 1996             131          143              136


                                        8

<PAGE>




Executive Compensation Report

         Hospitality  Properties Trust (the "Company") developed and implemented
its 1995 Incentive Share Award Plan (the "Plan") in recognition of the following
circumstances.  First, the Company's Common Shares are primarily a yield vehicle
for  shareholders  and do not  appreciate  in value in the same  manner as other
equity securities. Therefore, a conventional stock option plan would not provide
appropriate  incentives  for  the  Company's  management.  Second,  because  the
executive  officers  of  the  Company  are  employees  of  HRPT  Advisors,  Inc.
("Advisors"),  the Company's advisor,  and not of the Company, and receive their
salary  compensation  from Advisors,  the Trustees wished to establish a vehicle
which would,  among other things,  (a) foster a continuing  identity of interest
between  management of the Company and its shareholders,  and (b) recognize that
the  Company's  executive  officers  perform  certain  duties  on  behalf of the
Company,   primarily   with  regard  to   shareholder   relations  and  investor
communications,  which fall  outside  of the  services  covered by the  Advisory
Agreement.  In granting  incentive share awards,  the Trustees  consider factors
such as the amount and terms of restricted Common Shares  previously  granted to
executive  officers  and the amount of time spent and  complexity  of the duties
performed  by executive  officers on behalf of the Company,  speaking at Company
conferences,  road shows and making additional  presentations,  interfacing with
analysts  and  preparing  and  distributing   shareholder  reports,   materials,
statements and other information.  The Trustees may impose vesting  restrictions
or other  conditions on the granted  Common  Shares,  which may further  promote
continuity of management.

         In 1996, John G. Murray,  President and Chief Operating  Officer of the
Company,  received a grant of 2,000  Common  Shares  under the Plan,  667 Common
Shares of which  vested  immediately  upon grant,  667 of which will vest on the
first  anniversary  of the  grant  and 666 of  which  will  vest  on the  second
anniversary of the date of grant. In 1996, Mr. O'Brien,  the Treasurer and Chief
Financial Officer of the Company,  received a grant of 1,500 Common Shares under
the Plan, 500 of which vested  immediately  upon the grant and 500 of which will
vest on each of the first and second  anniversaries  of the grant.  In 1996, Mr.
Adam  Portnoy,  the Vice  President  of the  Company,  received a grant of 1,000
Common Shares under the Plan,  333 of which vested  immediately  upon the grant.
Mr.  Portnoy  resigned his position with the Company in January of 1997, and the
Board of Trustees  voted to accelerate  fully the vesting of his Common  Shares.
The  determination  of the number of Common  Shares  granted to Messrs.  Murray,
O'Brien  and  Portnoy  and the  acceleration  of the  vesting  schedule  for Mr.
Portnoy's  Common  Shares  were not  specifically  based on an  estimate  of the
Company's  performance  but  instead was based on the  relationship  of the fair
market  value of the Common  Shares so granted,  on the number of Common  Shares
previously granted to each such individual, and on the Board's opinion as to the
value of the "outside" services to the Company, as discussed above, performed by
each of Messrs. Murray, O'Brien and Portnoy during the year preceding the grant.

                                                 BOARD OF TRUSTEES

                                                          John L. Harrington
                                                          Arthur G. Koumantzelis
                                                          Gerard M. Martin
                                                          Barry M. Portnoy
                                                          William J. Sheehan

                                        9

<PAGE>





Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management

         The  following  table  sets forth  certain  information  regarding  the
beneficial  ownership  of the  Common  Shares  by (i) each  person  known by the
Company to own beneficially more than 5% of the outstanding Common Shares,  (ii)
each of the company's  Trustees and (iii) all Trustees and executive officers of
the Company as a group. Unless otherwise indicated,  each person or entity named
below has sole voting and  investment  power with respect to all Shares shown to
the  beneficially  owned by such  person or entity,  subject to the  matters set
forth in the footnotes to the table below.

         The table sets forth  information  regarding  beneficial  ownership  of
Common Shares as of March 4, 1997.


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                     Beneficial Ownership
                                                                                  -------------------------
                                                                                    Number
                      Name and Address(1)                                         of Shares         Percent
                                                                                  ---------         -------

<S>                                                                               <C>                 <C>  
Health and Retirement Properties Trust........................                    4,000,000           14.9%
HRPT Advisors, Inc.(2)........................................                    4,264,595           15.9%
 Barry M. Portnoy(3)..........................................                    4,264,595           15.9%
 Gerard M. Martin(3)..........................................                    4,264,595           15.9%
 John L. Harrington(4)(5).....................................                          613             *
 William J. Sheehan(4)(5).....................................                          609             *
 Arthur G. Koumantzelis(4)(5).................................                          613             *
 John G. Murray(6)............................................                        2,000             *
 Thomas M. O'Brien(6).........................................                        1,500             *
 Adam D. Portnoy(7)...........................................                        1,000             *
All Trustees and executive officers as a
 group (eight persons)(2)(3)..................................                    4,270,930           15.9%
Neuberger & Berman LLC(8).....................................                    1,584,400            5.9%

<FN>
- -------------------

*        Less than 1%
(1)      The address of HRP is 400 Centre Street,  Newton, MA 02158. The address
         of each  other  named  person or entity is c/o  Hospitality  Properties
         Trust, 400 Centre Street, Newton, MA 02158 or as reported below.
(2)      Advisors  owns  264,595  Common  Shares  directly  and may be deemed to
         beneficially  own  4,000,000  Common  Shares  owned by HRP by virtue of
         being an investment advisor to HRP.
(3)      Neither Mr. Portnoy nor Mr. Martin owns Common Shares directly. HRP, of
         which Messrs. Portnoy and Martin are Managing Trustees,  owns 4,000,000
         Common  Shares  and  Advisors,  which is owned by Messrs.  Portnoy  and
         Martin, owns 264,595 Common Shares.  Messrs.  Portnoy and Martin may be
         deemed to have beneficial ownership of these Common Shares.

                                       10

<PAGE>



(4)      Each of the Independent  Trustees receives a grant of 300 Common Shares
         per annum as part of their annual compensation.  See "--Incentive Share
         Award Plan."
(5)      Includes  shares  acquired  under the Company's  Dividend  Reinvestment
         Plan.
(6)      One-third of these Common  Shares is vested;  the rest will vest in two
         equal installments over the next two years.
(7)      Mr. Adam Portnoy's  address is 56 Kissling  Street,  San Francisco,  CA
         94103.
(8)      Neuberger & Bergman  LLC.  ("NBLLC")  has  reported in an  amendment to
         Schedule  13G  filed  under the  Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934,  as
         amended,  that it is deemed  to be the  beneficial  owner of  1,584,400
         Common Shares since it has power to make decisions whether to retain or
         dispose of such Common  Shares held by many  unrelated  clients.  NBLLC
         reported  that it holds  sole  power to vote or to  direct  the vote of
         1,000  Common  Shares and shared power to vote or to direct the vote of
         an additional  1,576,200 Common Shares,  and that it holds shared power
         to dispose or to direct the disposition of 1,584,400 Common Shares, all
         of which were  reported  to be owned by clients of NBLLC.  Such  shared
         powers in respect of 1,576,200  Common  Shares were reported to be held
         by  NBLLC  together  with  Neuberger  &  Berman  Management,  Inc.,  as
         subadvisor  and  investment  manager,   respectively,  of  Neuberger  &
         Berman's  various  funds.  The  1,584,400  Common Shares do not include
         3,000 Common  Shares which NBLLC  reported  were owned by principals of
         NBLCC  in  their  personal  securities  accounts,  as  to  which  NBLLC
         disclaims  beneficial  ownership.  The  principal  place of business of
         NBLLC was reported as 605 Third Avenue, New York, New York 10158.
</FN>
</TABLE>


                 CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS

         In the Advisory  Agreement,  Advisors has agreed to provide investment,
management  and  administrative  services to the  Company.  Advisors is owned by
Messrs.  Martin and  Portnoy.  The  Advisory  Agreement  provides  for an annual
advisory  fee  equal to 0.70% of the  Company's  Average  Invested  Capital  (as
defined in the  Advisory  Agreement)  up to $250  million,  and 0.50% of Average
Invested Capital equal to or exceeding $250 million, and for an annual incentive
fee  calculated  on the basis of annual  increases  in the  Company's  cash flow
available for distribution per share. Starting in 1996 the incentive fee payable
to Advisors is 15% of annual  increases in cash flow available for  distribution
per share (but in no event more than $.02 per share), times the weighted average
number of shares  outstanding  in such year.  Any incentive fees will be paid in
Common  Shares.  Aggregate  fees paid to Advisors for services  during 1996 were
$3.9  million,  including  $.5 million,  based upon a per share price of $31.75,
payable in 14,595 Common Shares as an incentive fee.

         In January  1997  Advisors  provided  funding  for short  term  working
capital to the Company in the form of a demand loan in the amount of $7 million,
of which  approximately $4 million  remained  outstanding at March 4, 1997, at a
floating  interest rate equal to the brokers' call rate as published in the Wall
Street  Journal  plus 50 basis  points.  [The  transaction  was  approved by the
Independent  Trustees,] and the Company believes that the terms of such loan are
similar to or better  than those the  Company  could  expect in a similar  arms'
length transaction.

         In  the  ordinary  course  of its  business  Advisors  is  occasionally
involved in litigation,  including the following matters to which the Company is
not a party.  Early in 1995,  HRP  commenced  a  foreclosure  action to  enforce
indemnities given in connection with the surrender of certain leaseholds to, and
the purchase of certain  properties by, HRP in 1992. In May 1995, the defendants
in the  foreclosure  action and  parties  related to HRP's  former  tenants  and
sellers asserted cross claims against HRP, Advisors,  Messrs. Martin and Portnoy
and others,  including  Sullivan & Worcester  LLP, which acts as counsel to HRP,
Advisors and the Company.  The same  cross-claim  defendants were served in late
February 1996 in an additional  action in a federal court.  The cross claims and
separate  claims  allege,  among other things,  fraud  (including  violations of
federal  securities  laws),  conflicts of interest,  breach of fiduciary duties,
legal malpractice,  civil conspiracy and violations of 18 U.S.C.  ss.1962 (RICO)
in connection with the leasehold  surrenders,  the  transactions and indemnities
underlying the foreclosure action and certain related transactions, and that the
foreclosure  defendants and third party plaintiffs suffered  substantial damages
as a result.  HRP,  Advisors  and other  parties  to this  dispute  have  sought
arbitration of all arbitrable  claims arising from this dispute  pursuant to the
contract under which the dispute  originated,  and an arbitration  proceeding is
now underway. The Company has been informed that additional related actions have
been brought  against HRP,  Advisors  and the other  defendants  in the original
cross

                                       11

<PAGE>



claims.  The  Company  has  been  informed  that  HRP,  Advisors  and the  other
crossclaim defendants intend to defend themselves in the actions or otherwise to
pursue such claims and rights which they may have.  The outcome of these pending
claims and proceedings cannot be predicted.

                  COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION 16(a) OF EXCHANGE ACT

         Section  16(a) of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934  requires  the
Company's Trustees and executive officers,  and persons who own more than 10% of
a  registered  class of the  Company's  equity  securities,  to file  reports of
ownership  and  changes in  ownership  of  securities  with the  Securities  and
Exchange  Commission  and the  New  York  Stock  Exchange.  Executive  officers,
Trustees and greater than 10%  shareholders  are required to furnish the Company
with copies of all Section 16(a) forms they file.  Based solely on review of the
copies of such  reports  furnished to the Company,  the Company  believes  that,
during the 1996 fiscal year, all filing requirements applicable to its executive
officers, Trustees and greater than 10% shareholders were met.

                                    AUDITORS

         The Company is not required to submit the selection of its auditor to a
vote of shareholders.  The Company's  independent auditor since its organization
in 1995 has been Arthur Andersen LLP.

         A  representative  of Arthur  Andersen LLP is expected to be present at
the  Meeting,  with the  opportunity  to make a  statement  if  desired,  and is
expected to be available to respond to appropriate  questions from  shareholders
who are present at the Meeting.

                              SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS

         The Company's 1998 Annual Meeting of Shareholders is presently expected
to be held on or about May 19, 1998.  Proposals of  shareholders  intended to be
present at the 1998 Annual  Meeting must be received not later than February 19,
1998 nor earlier than  January 20, 1998 for  inclusion  in the  Company's  proxy
statement and proxy for that meeting.

         The Company's  Bylaws establish an advance notice procedure with regard
to the  nomination,  other than by the Board,  of  candidates  for  election  as
Trustees (the "Nomination  Procedure").  The Nomination  Procedure provides that
only persons who are  nominated by or at the direction of the Board of Trustees,
or by a  shareholder  of record on the date of the  giving of the notice who has
given timely prior  written  notice to the Secretary of the Company prior to the
meeting at which  Trustees  are to be elected,  will be eligible for election as
Trustees.  To be  timely,  notice of a  shareholder's  nominee in the case of an
annual  meeting,  must be received by the Company not less than 90 days nor more
than 120 days prior to the anniversary date of the immediately  preceding annual
meeting  (i.e.  not later than  February 19, 1998,  nor earlier than January 20,
1998, with respect to the 1998 Annual Meeting of Shareholders).


                                       12

<PAGE>



                                  OTHER MATTERS

         As of this time,  the Board of Trustees knows of no other matters to be
brought before the Meeting.  However,  if other matters properly come before the
Meeting or any adjournment thereof, and if discretionary  authority to vote with
respect thereto has been conferred by the enclosed  proxy,  the persons named in
the proxy will vote the proxy in accordance  with their best judgment as to such
matters.

                                     By Order of the Board of Trustees


                                     John G. Murray, Secretary


Newton, Massachusetts
April __, 1997

                                       13

<PAGE>



                                                                      APPENDIX A


                          HOSPITALITY PROPERTIES TRUST

                        Proposed Amendment to Section 5.1
                of the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust

         Section 5.1 of the Amended and Restated  Declaration of Trust is hereby
amended to add the following sentence at the end of the first paragraph thereof.

         "The Trustees are hereby  expressly  authorized  at any time,  and from
         time to time, without Shareholder  approval,  to amend this Declaration
         to increase or decrease the aggregate number of Shares or the number of
         Shares of any class that the Trust has the authority to issue."

<PAGE>




[FRONT]
                          HOSPITALITY PROPERTIES TRUST
                 400 Centre Street, Newton, Massachusetts 02158

           THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES


         The undersigned hereby appoints GERARD M. MARTIN, BARRY M. PORTNOY, and
JOHN G. MURRAY,  and each of them, as Proxies of the undersigned,  each with the
power to appoint his  substitute,  and hereby  authorizes a majority of them, or
any one if only one be present,  to represent and to vote, as designated  below,
all the Common Shares of Beneficial  Interest of  Hospitality  Properties  Trust
held of record by the  undersigned  or with respect to which the  undersigned is
entitled to vote or act, at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on May
20, 1997 or any adjournment or postponement thereof.

This proxy when properly  executed will be voted in the manner  directed here by
the undersigned shareholders.  If no direction is made, this proxy will be voted
FOR Proposals 1 and 2.

PLEASE VOTE, DATE, AND SIGN ON OTHER SIDE AND RETURN PROMPTLY IN ENCLOSED
ENVELOPE.

NOTE: Please sign exactly as name appears hereon. Joint owners should each sign.
When signing as attorney, executor,  administrator,  trustee or guardian, please
give full title as such.

Address Change/Comments:
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[REVERSE]
|X|      PLEASE MARK VOTES AS IN THIS EXAMPLE

1.)      Election of Trustees in Group II:


          For                     Against               For All Except
          / /                       / /                      / /

                  Gerard M. Martin and William J. Sheehan

         If you do not wish your shares voted "For" a particular  nominee,  mark
the "For All Except" box and strike a line  through the  nominee(s)  name.  Your
shares will be voted for the remaining nominee(s).


2.)      Amendment  to the  Declaration  to allow the  Trustees  to  increase or
         decrease the authorized capital stock of the Company .

          For                     Against                   Abstain
          / /                       / /                      / /

<PAGE>

3.)      In their discretion, the Proxies are authorized to vote upon such other
         business as may properly come before the meeting.



Mark box at right if comments or address  changes are noted on 
the reverse  side of this card.                                       / /



Please be sure to sign and date this Proxy.

DATE: ________________                                 RECORD DATE SHARES:


- ---------------------------------              ---------------------------------
Shareholder Sign Here                          Co-owner Sign Here


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