This is one photo that begs for the heavy - handed application of the HDR brush. The "moderate" HDR photo is nice but you obviously liked the more extreme treatment. It is your picture - stick to your guns.
the original is very washed out and drab...the HDR one looks like a 3D picture without the glasses on....
There MUST be some middle ground here...no?
How's this for the middle?
For me HDR is what the eye sees with a splash of color, contrast, and shadow detail....The middle works for me, but I can see some folks with beach homes hanging the first one...Just my .02