It is hard to combine the word 'luxury' in a sentence that involves pushing your physical endurance to its limit, a diet of kept calories and no sugar, and a total abstinence from alcohol and caffeine.

Where lies the beauty in that? Well... within, of course.

And that is exactly what I discovered after a week in the central Tuscan hills at Borgo Iesolana with Ian Flooks and Alexa Harris and their Yogahikes creation. Teaming with yoga instructor extraordinaire, Alexa Harris, Flooks has mastered the art of rediscovering the luxury in pure living, through and through. A clear mind, a clean body and a very calm soul are what await you at the end of the week no matter how stressed you were at the beginning. They have organized this week so incredibly well that even the greatest control freaks will find comfort in allowing them to take over all the details, including the caffeine.

For a start, the estate you stay at allows you to relax from the moment go. Set in 250 acres bordering the Chianti countryside, three buildings from the 1500's have been transformed into 11 apartments that are nestled amongst olive groves, woods and beautifully lined vineyards. They have been restored to a modern classical design and are in varying shapes and sizes. All are lovely, spacious, fully equipped and provide every necessary comfort to ensure a lovely stay.

There is a restaurant with inside dining and a covered, outside terrace, which overlooks Val d 'Ambra, the Golden Valley, truly one of Italy's unspoilt treasures. The yoga room is attached to this building and within moments of entering it, the wooden floors, pristine layout of mats, orchids resting on tables either side of huge French doors opening out to the valley below, I felt like doing yoga... which was a good thing! The first night the sun was setting right in front of us which made being there, in the moment, all the easier to sustain.

The silence, conducted until lunchtime everyday, is actually refreshing for everyone. I for one usually have four very loud young boys buzzing around in my ears and that doesn't even include the husband! Our minds have an amazing ability to remain busy and full and it takes real, deliberate concentration to let go of the voices and lists, and mobiles, and just... be. Should I swim first or sunbathe and then swim? Did I hear the breeze just now or was it something else? What flower is causing that wonderful smell? Am I really thinking about nothing?

It is not easy to change one's life, or even one's diet, in the comfort of the routine of home. But it is easy to book Yogahikes and let them help you rediscover the beauty in your life, and yourself, for one week a year. Because truthfully, this is the brightest reflection I have seen in years...

Find out more and book direct with the hotel at www.luxuryexplorer.com