The first building on the property was constructed in 1875,[1] part of land gifted to a British colonial civil servant by the Crown.

The newly refurbished and expanded hotel opened for business in November 1919, with James Henry De Zilwa (1888–1979), a younger cousin of Ephraums, appointed as manager.

[2][3] In 1924, following a disagreement with the owners, De Zilwa left St Andrews and began his own hotel business.

The De Zilwa family undertook a range of improvements, including new bathroom blocks together with vegetable and flower gardens.

The first arrivals were survivors from HMS Hermes in 1942, which was sunk by Japanese dive bombers off the east coast of Ceylon.

St Andrews also had stables, originally built by Ephraums for his string of horses, and living quarters for families who looked after the animals.

In the early 1960s Mr and Mrs De Zilwa's adult children, migrated with their families to Australia.