Room77.com lets you know what kind of view your room has

See what the view out your hotel room will look like before you slap down your credit card.

Name: Room77.com

What it does: Illuminates how much difference exists between rooms in the same hotel. By using image-search technology to find longitude, latitude and altitude for each room, the website creates an image of the view from the room. It covers about 2,500 hotels in more than a dozen U.S. cities, plus London. You can also reserve the room from Room 77, which sends you to Orbitz.com, where available. A companion iPhone app is free.

What’s hot: Playing around with the virtual images on “Room View” is a tech treat. Floor layout plans are also displayed. Under the “Room Preference” feature, which filters search returns, you get practical information, such as where connecting rooms are or which rooms are near the elevator. “Heard in the Lobby” shares booking tips from the hotel’s staff, such as which rooms are quieter or afford the best views.

What’s not: There’s no guarantee you’ll get the room you request. Be careful in how you book. The website’s advice on how to request a room suggests that travelers who book directly with the hotel may get dibs on room assignments over people who book on discount websites.

Worth it: Give it a shot. The technology is cool and innovative, but you’ll know if it will help you book the room you want only by trying it.

—Jen Leo