I am not a fan of traditional long dungeons. Usually they are not very visually interesting. If fast travel is disabled, then you either have to leave your loot behind or walk back a long ways to sell it.
Going back to my previous examples, the Tenebrous Depths had a whole different aesthetic every 4 levels (ranging from aquatic, softly-lit rooms, to sewer-like, scum and poison filled rooms, or harsh lava chambers); there were distinctive area debuffs & mobs, thematic ground effects, art & lighting. If that could be combined with 'shortcuts' back to the ground level - which you can discover as you explore (similarly to the Endless Paths), that would solve both your issues quite nicely.
Also...as a fellow hoarder... I can tell you that 'Send to camp' is my best friend.
