Pr(Man)3(ManH) and Er(Man)3(H2O)2 (ManH = mandelic acid) have been synthesized by slow evaporation of aqueous solutions of rare-earth salts (Pr(OH)3, ErCl3 · 6H2O) with mandelic acid (α-hydroxy-phenyl acetic acid, C8H8O3) and their crystal structures were determined on the basis of X-ray data. In the crystal structure of Pr(Man)3(ManH) (1) (monoclinic, P21, a = 574.8(1), b = 3042.5(4), c = 908.4(1) pm, β = 92.09(2)°, Z = 2) the Pr(III) ions are surrounded by eight oxygen atoms in a distorted square antiprismatic fashion with distances Pr-O in the range 241 to 254 pm. These polyhedra are connected by coordinative bonds to chains paralleling the crystallographic [100] direction. In Er(Man)3(H2O)2 (2) (orthorhombic, P212121, a = 577.7(3), b = 1816.3(13), c = 2329.4(13) pm, Z = 4) the crystal structure contains isolated complexes with octa-coordinated erbium atoms chelated by three mandelate anions through one of their carboxylate oxygen atoms and the alcoholic hydroxyl group. Two water molecules complete the distorted square antiprismatic coordination sphere.