Conveniences or just poor design?

[Verdite]

Anyone else feel that lifts detract from the series' overall medieval, low tech, primal atmosphere? At first when I used lifts in DS1, I thought it gave the game depth, made it seem like you were ascending into somewhere not easily escapable. But since I have been playing DS2, I noticed a number of out of place lifts, placed in convenient locations, contrasting the natural feel of DS1.
I am curious as to why lifts take prescedence over stairs or natural inclines in the newest masterpiece.