The house has been used as a residence for visiting heads of state and local government ministers.

In July 2023, government of Sri Lanka agreed to lease out this location to be developed as a hotel [1] The colonial style two story bungalow was built as the Officer's mess of the Ceylon Rifle Regiment and was sold to the Colombo Commercial Company in the late nineteenth century, which was named as "Acland House" turned it into its head office in Colombo and later became the residence of its general manager.

In 1971, the house was taken over by the government following the nationalization of the Colombo Commercial Company under the Business (Acquisition) Act No.

In the late 1980's President Ranasinghe Premadasa refurbished the house with its large gardens to be used as the state guest house to host to official functions and visiting heads of state and government giving it the name Visumpaya.

Anura Bandaranaike former Minister and Speaker of Parliament died while in residence at Visumpaya.