HDR is great, and can create stunning photographs, but many people overuse it. Good HDR should be subtle, enhancing the image rather than overwhelming it.
Here’s one of my first HDR shots on the left, extending the exposure to capture all the detail and soften the image – compared to the original on the right, a single-exposure shot:
The original is harsher and the light is overexposed in order to capture the detail in the shadows. The HDR version is much improved, but without being told it’s hard to tell that it was post-processed. That’s what I think HDR should be.