We arrived late at Midnight to a clean room in the front, with a very comfortable double bed, TV which had CNN, a small refrigerator/mini bar with enough room to keep food we bought at the market. It was quiet with a good air-conditioner which you need because of the heat and humidity.
We stayed for two nights before our cruise on the Aranui 3 freighter. The market where you can get about anything you need is just two blocks away. We bought food for all our meals there. The prices are the best and this is where the locals shop. We were also just two blocks from the water front and the main shopping area. There are many banks in the area all with an ATM so no problem getting Pacific Francs. They also let us store our luggage when our ship returned as our flight from Papeete was not until late that night.
I would recommend this for anyone that needs a basic hotel for a short stay.

Tahiti is an expensive destination - and this hotel is expensive by Australian standards - but not by Tahiti standards. It is in a great position - close to the markets, the Moorea ferry and the Roulettes.
My husband and I stayed 4 nights - supposedly in a "Double Mini Suite". The room was large - but it was more like a family room - with 2 double beds and a single. It is old - but clean enough - and attempts have been made to renovate (in spots). I found the reception staff very helpful and friendly. There is a massive Ice Machine where guests can grab an ice bucket full and take back to their room. We did not eat in the Coffee Bar or restaurant - they are too expensive. We breakfasted in the markets - a few minutes walk- on lovely fresh ham rolls for XPF100, and freshly cut fruit. There are dispensing machines in the markets for water Coke etc - also very cheap. For the sweet tooth there is a lovely French Patissiere selling delightful cakes etc. For dinner - you cannot beat the Roulettes - near the ferry. Grab some wine or beer from the supermarket (Champion 1/2 hour walk toward airport - reasonably priced), bring some ice from the Mandarin ice machine - and select from a number of Food Vans, We had the best veal ever - it was carved directly from the beast being BBQ'd right there. The food is fresh and reasonably priced. I would stay there again - value for money in Tahiti it is fine.

Le Mandarin has a convenient location being right in Papeete. Its opposite the Town Hall, a couple of blocks walk from the waterfront and the markets are close by too. Reception area is small but nice. Reception staff were ok. Although they spoke little English and were not overly helpful or friendly. I got the feeling of being an annoyance to them if I enquired about anything.
The room was spacious and clean enough. The beds were clean and comfortable. Unbelievably kettles, tea and coffee are not provided in the rooms. A couple of days later we asked if they had any and they provided us with an old plastic jug that was partly melted. The card keys for the doors rarely worked and we were constantly having to go back down to reception to get a new one. Often the replacement one they gave us didnt work either. I wasnt concerned about the traffic noise, but again unbelievably at 4am every morning, and I could set my clock on it, the noisiest roosters out would start crowing just outside our window. I could not believe that this would be allowed to happen in a city. The view from our window was hideous, looking straight into a slummy backyard (where the roosters lived). The rooms on the other side of the hotel did have a better view. The power points are not what we would have in Australia and New Zealand, and as we had shavers, laptops and mobile phones to charge we needed an adapter. Unbelievably they had only one adapter for the whole hotel. We ended up having to share it around with other rooms. The breakfast restaurant was ok, but again the friendliness of the waitress left alot to be desired. It was extremely expensive but that is the same everywhere in Tahiti.
The hotel does have a brilliant chinese restaurant though which served some of the finest, flavoursome chinese I have tasted. Would I stay here again? Unlikely unless it was at budget prices.

I stayed at Le Mandarin pre and post cruise and found it clean and relatively comfortable and very convenient to the Marche and in easy walking distance to the wharf with wheeled suitcase, thus eliminating an exorbitant taxi fare. I found all the staff extremely pleasant and enjoyed being able to take a Tiare gardenia each morning from the bowl at reception to place over my ear - the perfume from these is absolutely gorgeous but not too overpowering. The continental breakfast at the coffee shop is excellent and for anyone who likes grapefruit juice, the local pamplemousse juice is so different and much sweeter than you can get at home. When I was there the exchange rates made everything even more expensive than usual, but by eating at the roulettes this helps keep the budget within reason. The food and service at the roulettes is excellent - and really the serves are too much for one person on their own. The chicken burger is very good and one of the best I've had. The Marche is also a good place to buy lunch, particularly the made rolls - I bought a ham and lettuce roll and small bottle of coke for $A5.50 and the bread is so good you could eat it on its own. The Marche is also a great place for souvenir shopping and only about five minutes walk from the hotel.

My only complaint about the hotel is that while awaiting an early morning flight there is no garden or anywhere else to wait other than the lobby. Luckily I met someone else booked on the same flight and we shared a taxi to the airport early and just spent the time there chatting.

If I ever return to Papeete again I would consider staying at Le Mandarin again because of its convenience to everything.