That next savvy business dinner could be disastrous based on the concierge recommendation!

You're in a new city on business with no clue where to take your client for dinner, or perhaps you just want to have a quiet dinner on your own. Like most other travelers at better hotels, you turn to the concierge for help.

Although a good source of information, the concierge recommendation at a better restaurant may not be what it's cracked up to be because he or she has been influenced through free meals, commissions or other incentives from the named restaurant.

Surprising, but true. In addition, travel guides may not be any better than concierges because journalists, too, often are paid by restaurants for a listing and referral.

The best bet is to network with others who are familiar with a particular city and to talk with them for their own recommendations.