Get Help Booking the Room You Want with Room 77’s New Request Service

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in November 2011, before we relaunched our Today in Travel blog. We’re republishing it here due to Room 77’s new sale.

Ever booked a room at a great hotel, but then ended up in a less than large room with a view of a brick wall and a constant soundtrack of street noise? Room 77 is trying to prevent this travel tragedy by not only helping you figure out the best room in your category, but then going the extra step and automatically emailing your preferences to the hotel. If that doesn’t get a response, a live person will actually call the hotel to plead for the room on your behalf. You can pick a specific room, or a general room quality, such as “quiet” or “view.” Some of the hotel listings on the Room 77 site include diagrams indicating the placement of the room and the direction of the view. Some even have photos of what you’ll see out your window.

When Room 77 first launched, hotel hunters had to book through Orbitz. Now, you can book through a variety of third parties or directly through Room 77, which gives you free access to its new Room Concierge service (available for three-star properties and higher). That’s what allows you to specify a room preference, and Room 77 works with the hotel to reserve it for you.

Of course, you can also work the website to check out the best room and then book it through someone else, and contact the hotel yourself directly to request the room. Either way, there’s no guarantee that you’ll get the room that you or the concierge requests, but you might be less likely to end up in the worst room in the place.

Would you test out Room 77 or are you not that picky about what room you get? What do you think is the most important feature of a room?