Milk and Cookies Festival is returning to Johannesburg for its third South African edition, and this year’s line-up is already generating plenty of buzz. Headlined by Grammy winner Olivia Dean, with support from Elaine, Zee Nxumalo, Chelsea Sloan and Jade T, the festival takes over the Nasrec Expo Centre on 31 January 2027, running through to the early hours of 1 February. Last year’s combined Johannesburg and Cape Town editions drew more than 30,000 attendees, and organisers expect similar demand this time around.
Booking accommodation early matters more than most festival-goers realise. As ticket sales ramp up and the event draws closer, hotels near Nasrec fill up fast, and prices tend to climb along with demand. Locking in a room now means you can focus on the line-up instead of scrambling for a place to sleep the week before the gates open.
For attendees who want a comfortable, well-located base without staying right on top of the festival noise, ANEW Hotel Roodepoort is worth considering. Set in Weltevredenpark, the hotel offers a quiet retreat to recharge between sets, paired with straightforward access to Nasrec via the N1 Western Bypass.
How far is Nasrec Expo Centre from ANEW Hotel Roodepoort?
ANEW Hotel Roodepoort is located at the corner of 14th Avenue and Hendrik Potgieter Road, Weltevredenpark, Johannesburg. The Nasrec Expo Centre, where Milk and Cookies Festival takes place, is roughly 14.6 km away, with the drive typically taking around 14 minutes via the N1 Western Bypass, traffic permitting.
If you’d rather have your own wheels than rely on taxis or e-hailing, ANEW Hotels has partnered with BLUU Car Rental to offer discounted vehicle hire. ANEW guests receive 10% off car rental bookings, while ANEW Rewards members save even more depending on their membership tier, up to 20% for Black members. Rentals can be collected at major airports and branches across South Africa, and the promo code ANEW applies the discount automatically at checkout.
Why choose ANEW Hotel Roodepoort as your festival base?
ANEW Hotel Roodepoort‘s location in Weltevredenpark puts it within easy reach of the Nasrec Expo Centre while keeping some distance from the festival crowds, which is ideal if you want a proper night’s rest between festival days. The hotel also sits close to the N1 highway onramp, just 500 metres away, so getting in and out is quick regardless of time of day.
Beyond the convenient location, the hotel offers 79 modern guest rooms, each featuring an en-suite bathroom, a dedicated work desk, satellite TV and WiFi connectivity. Room types range from Standard Rooms and Standard Family Rooms to Deluxe and Executive Rooms, the latter featuring private balconies overlooking the hotel’s garden and grounds. A Universally Accessible Room is also available for guests who require wheelchair-friendly facilities.
The hotel’s proximity to Sandton, Krugersdorp, Soweto and the greater Roodepoort area means festival-goers can easily extend their trip with some sightseeing or dining out before or after the main event, without needing to relocate.
What dining and amenities does the hotel offer?
A festival weekend means long days and late nights, so having reliable food options nearby makes a real difference. ANEW Hotel Roodepoort’s on-site Continental restaurant serves breakfast daily, giving you a solid start before heading out to Nasrec. For lunch and dinner, the adjacent Bossa restaurant, located right next door to the hotel, offers a full dining menu and wine list to choose from.
Guests can also unwind at the hotel’s on-site bar, whether that’s a pre-festival cocktail to set the mood or a nightcap after a day of music. Combined with complimentary WiFi, secure on-site parking, 24-hour reception and room service, the hotel covers the practical essentials so you can focus on the festival itself.
How can ANEW Rewards members get more value from their stay?
If you’re a regular visitor to South Africa’s festival circuit, or simply plan to stay at ANEW properties again in future, joining ANEW Rewards is free and can meaningfully reduce your costs. The loyalty programme rewards guests with Wena Bucks (1 Wena Buck = R1) based on their spend during a stay, which can then be used towards future bookings, food and beverage orders, and more.
Membership is tiered: start as a Gold Member, then move up to Platinum by spending R35,000 within a 12-month cycle, and reach Black Membership by spending R90,000 in the same period. Each tier unlocks escalating perks, including early check-in, late check-out, welcome platters, room upgrades (subject to availability), and discounts on the best available rate for direct bookings. Members also receive an extra 5% discount when booking existing promotions, and as noted earlier, higher tiers unlock bigger BLUU Car Rental discounts too.
For festival-goers planning multiple trips to Johannesburg throughout the year, these savings add up quickly, and signing up takes just a few minutes on the ANEW Hotels website.
What can you expect from Milk and Cookies Festival 2027?
Milk and Cookies started in Atlanta on a simple premise: different sounds belong together, and the festival isn’t built around one genre. This philosophy carries through to the 2027 Johannesburg line-up, headlined by Olivia Dean, whose second album The Art of Loving earned her a Grammy for Best New Artist and four BRIT Awards, including British Artist of the Year. Her track “Man I Need” was one of the biggest songs of 2026, and she’s since sold out six nights at The O2 in London and four at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Joining her on the Johannesburg bill are Elaine, the Pretoria-born R&B singer behind the multi-platinum hit “You’re the One”; Zee Nxumalo, one of the defining voices of South Africa’s new generation; Chelsea Sloan, the Hanover Park DJ who brought her Amapiano-rooted sets all the way to Grammy week in LA; and Jade T, a DJ who has performed to crowds around the world. More acts are still to be announced.
The festival is also part of Milk and Cookies Music Week, a broader multi-day programme featuring panels, workshops, pop-ups and parties across Johannesburg, extending the experience well beyond the main stage.
Book your stay and make the most of the festival weekend
With Olivia Dean headlining and a line-up built around variety rather than a single genre, Milk and Cookies Festival 2027 is shaping up to be one of Johannesburg’s bigger music weekends. Pairing your ticket with a well-located, comfortable stay at ANEW Hotel Roodepoort means you can enjoy the full experience, festival energy by day, relaxed comfort by night, without worrying about the logistics.
Book your room early, consider signing up for ANEW Rewards to unlock extra perks and savings, and take advantage of the BLUU Car Rental discount if you need wheels for the weekend. Then all that’s left to do is get your tickets and get ready for two days of music, food, fashion and everything in between.
Make yourself at home in Roodepoort.
ANEW Hotel Roodepoort offers a relaxing stay in the heart of Johannesburg’s West Rand, with beautiful views of the surrounding gardens and lake. Just 500 metres from the N1 highway on-ramp, the hotel provides convenient access to nearby business parks, corporate offices and attractions across Johannesburg. Choose from 79 comfortable guest rooms, including spacious family rooms and executive accommodation, whether you’re travelling for business or enjoying a family getaway.
- Beautiful lake and garden views in a peaceful setting
- Complimentary Wi-Fi, secure on-site parking and 24-hour security
- Daily breakfast at the hotel's restaurant, with a bar for evening drinks
Whether you’re visiting for business, travelling with family or exploring Johannesburg, enjoy comfortable accommodation and convenient access to the West Rand and beyond.
