This past winter was unbearably chilly at times, and while many of us were longing for some tropical sunshine to keep us warm, Russell Simmons was spending his time soaking up the warmth in Bali. The embattled music executive has had various homes across America throughout his career, though recent years have seen him heading overseas to pour his money and energy into a one-of-a-kind wellness retreat where he continues his dedicated meditation and yoga practices.

Before Simmons’ reputation took a turn for the worse, he was known for being a proud family man. The 66-year-old and his ex-wife spent millions on a massive mansion for their two daughters to grow up in at the start of the 2000s but ultimately wound up losing money on it later on. That isn’t the only time the entrepreneur’s real estate decisions wound up costing him, as you’ll read more about below.

Russell Simmons’ Gdas Bali Health and Wellness Resort

These days, Russell Simmons spends much of his free time overseas in beautiful Bali, at his Gdas Health and Wellness Resort. The stunning venue is described as “a Disneyland for yoga and vegan food,” and “a place for everyone to reconnect with themselves, have a better life and further understanding of body, mind and soul.”

We believe that we are all leaders and must work together to make positive change in the world but it is only when we take care of ourselves first and foremost that we have more to offer to the world around us too. We must heal ourselves before the world around us can heal,” Gdas’ website says.

It’s located just 1.8 miles from the Ubud Monkey Forest and provides guests with a fitness center, free private parking, a garden and many other amenities. Vegetarian and vegan breakfast options are served daily, or an on-site restaurant serves local, Asian and other international cuisines.

His Former Saddle River Mansion With Ex Kimora Lee Simmons

Russell Simmons and his ex-wife Kimora Lee have a tense relationship now, but at the height of their marriage, they were living lavishly in a Saddle River Mansion. The home was built in 1996, and the previously happy couple moved in in 2001 after purchasing it for $13.5M, taking over the eight bedrooms and 15 bathrooms with their two young daughters. The 19,075 square-foot residence sits on a nearly four-acre corner lot, which was sold for $10M in 2010 after some significant price reductions.

Inside the mansion, the Simmons family enjoyed a 14-seat home theatre, a gym, a sauna, an indoor pool, a fireplace, a multi-tiered mahogany library and a solarium. Their cars sat comfortably in an expansive garage that came with three lifts, and in the summer they got to enjoy an outdoor pool with a full-service cabana, verandas, patios, waterfalls and a koi pond.

Simmons’ Past Homes

In the years after his divorce from Kimora, the Def Jam co-founder purchased a home in the Hollywood Hills with five bedrooms so that he could be closer to Ming and Aoki, who lived with their mom nearby. The Mediterranean-designed property is nearly 6,000 square feet and served as a sort of sanctuary for Simmons during the years he spent there. I believe deeply that the pursuit of happiness is the pursuit of stillness. This house is designed to help me in my quest for inner peace. That’s why it has images of the pursuit of self-realization,” he told People during an interview.

Over on the East Coast, Russell Simmons was the owner of a massive Manhattan penthouse that he spent years trying to sell. The father of two eventually got rid of the property in 2021 for roughly $5.5M – a significant drop from the $11M it was listed at before. Like his Hollywood haven, this spot included a zen-like, Southeast Asian-inspired decorative theme that clearly keeps the Queens-born businessman in the right state of mind.