Go for Hilton lifetime as it’s seemingly easier (via other methods like credit cards, etc) and see what that does. I started With Hilton when I was young, and I was spoiled compared to what Marriott gave to elites.

I never gave much actual money to Hilton when I was young, I earned gold via Amex spend. And, it payed off well! I had a two night stay at the Conrad in Chicago (when it existed) on points and they gave us an upgrade to the a suite with a huuuggee balcony right under the Conrad logo sign (along with a huge bathroom). My girlfriend at the time laughed as we walked into the elevator with some people and they pushed a relatively high floor number while we pushed the top floor button (as 20-somethings)! They were speechless in their reaction!

That’s being too snobby in my opinion, but you could tell they cared more than us as it was a free weekend stay for us anyways.

Regardless, I’ve never got a single ‘wow’ moment with Marriott while I’ve consistently been surprised in a good way with Hilton. Even as a Silver, I was once given two free beers at a Hilton Garden Inn in the US. Those moments have added up to a lot of great memories, and Hilton wins hands down for Marriott for me.

So, maybe test the water with another brand and see what they offer. You have lifetime like you said, so you’re not losing out!