Patara Prince Hotel & Resort

Patara Prince Hotel & Resort is a classic example of the Kalkan style, where you swim off a rocky platform rather than a sandy beach. The hotel sits on Zeytinlik Caddesi, right on the sea, with its own rocky platform and jetty. According to sources, ladders lead down into the deep water.

For confident swimmers, that is a real treat. Jumping into clear, deep water first thing in the morning is one of the things people come to Kalkan for. The same set-up can be hard for small children who want to play in the sand, or for anyone who prefers to wade in gradually.

The board is bed and breakfast. Sources say breakfast is included and other food and drink are charged, with no sign of an all-inclusive option. Booking.com listings show family rooms and one pool reserved for adults, so families are welcome but child-free guests still get a space of their own.

Our take: Patara Prince makes sense if you like a rhythm of sea at the hotel and dinner in town. Kalkan's restaurants and harbour are where evenings happen.

Where might you struggle? Getting into the sea from a platform does not suit everyone, and bed and breakfast is limiting if you want all your meals on site. We could not verify the transfer time from Dalaman, so we will simply say that Dalaman is closer to Kalkan than Antalya.

It is not for families with toddlers who need sand, or for anyone expecting all-inclusive.

Kalkan Beach & Hotel is also beachfront, but its official site describes a Blue Flag sand-and-gravel beach, better if you like to walk into the water. Likya Gardens Hotel sits just above the shore with its own beach club.

The deep, clear water is at its best from June to September. In July and August, Kalkan's steep streets are tiring in the midday heat, so explore in the late afternoon. If you take a day trip to Patara beach, remember it is a turtle nesting site with rules to respect.