A great deal of research has been carried out on lanthanide organic complex-based organic–inorganic hybrid materials in the last decade. This critical review begins with a formulation of the fundamentals of lanthanide organic complex luminescence, and presents various current designed ideas, synthetic routes, luminescence behaviors and potentials of the latest advanced (a) sol–gel materials, (b) mesoporous materials, (c) titania materials, (d) ionic liquids and ionogels, (e) polymers, and (f) bifunctional magnetic–optical composites based on lanthanide organic complexes. Finally, challenges and opportunities for further improvement of organic–inorganic hybrid luminescent materials based on lanthanide organic complexes will be discussed.