Elite level at a hotel chain is people who stay enough in a year for the hotel to recognize them as frequent travelers and grant them status. Each hotel has their own requirement to obtain status.
I would suggest staying at hotels that have a upgrade system in place, like the Nor1 System at many Hiltons. They sometimes offer you the ability to upgrade for a fee on a standby basis.
You can also call the hotel and ask if they have a upgrade policy, and if they can tell you how it works and about what it costs to see if it's worth it for you.