There are some who use HDR quite skillfully to great effect - there are wonderful examples on Flickr. I think good HDR works particularly well on architectural photography. When used badly, HDR robs images of shadow and it is both light and dark that gives definition and depth to form.

Some photographers use a HDR layer within an image to bring a little mode detail into shadow. Each to their own but maybe my lack of skill in HDR means it's not for me.