We had a lovely time staying in Rachel's very nice apartment over Christmas and New Year. The apartment had everything we would expect with the added touch of it obviously being someone's home, not just a bland rental box which added a real degree of warmth to our stay.
Surry Hills is a great neighborhood with plenty of hip bars, restaurants and retail therapy to keep us amused and with Central Station a five minute walk away the whole of Sydney was in easy reach, either on foot, which we preferred, or the regular double decker trains.
The apartment itself had a very cozy feel to it with a balcony and open views over Prince Alfred Park and the city beyond. We rapidly thought of it as our home from home in Sydney. Rachel had been really helpful in providing maps, guides and WiFi so we were never at a loss for what to do.
I would thoroughly recommend you to stay and sample the delights of Surry Hills!