OP, my dad's a semi-professional poker player who's in Vegas 4x/year and once won a major WSOP side game (I can't be more specific without outing my dad, but it was big enough for him to win a WSOP bracelet). I'm sure you'll get plenty of advice about where to stay, but I'll add some about where to *play*.
First, it's irrelevant if you "like" poker. If you aren't already a superlative Hold 'Em player, you're most likely to have your arse handed to you on a stick at any given poker room on or near the Strip. I mention "near" the Strip because the majority of WSOP tournaments this century have taken place at the Rio, a fairly shitty hotel across the interstate from the Strip (and not really walkable - it's across from the Palms, but that's about it). As of 2022 the WSOP is back at the "new" Horseshoe (a rebranded Ballys, next to Paris Las Vegas).
Note that even the low-end tables at the major poker room are mostly populated by full-timers: since poker's the only game where it's at least *possible* to come out ahead – it doesn't matter that the house always wins if the house isn't even a player – even the cheap seats are often held by pros. The main go-to poker rooms – the places to go if you have no problem losing your life's savings – are at the Bellagio & Venetian.
A few other notes: first, Vegas hotel prices can vary by farcical sums. This was an admitted fluke, but I got stuck in Vegas overnight in January and stayed at the new-ish Virgin Hotel (which used to be the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, but it's being moved onto the main Strip). Since it was a weekday, my room rate of $24 was less than the nightly "amenity fee" of $40. EVERY hotel in Vegas now has one, and the Virgin is one of the few remaining hotels that doesn't also charge a similar amount for parking. (You can get around via Uber or taxi too, of course, and many do, particularly if they've been guzzling the free drinks offered at each casino if you're playing.)
Every hotel mentioned here is quite nice; it's really up to personal preference. I concur with others that the Cosmopolitan is still the trendiest hotel in town (one that primarily draws an under-30 crowd from L.A.), but the Bellagio is literally next door and is always a solid bet. They're not really known for poker, but my favorite gaming area is the original 1960s room at Caesars across the street. Its "main" gaming areas are in newer parts of the hotel (which now has something like NINE hotel towers), but the original still looks like a place where you'd see Bond – Connery version, obviously – in a white dinner jacket playing baccarat.
Finally, Vegas has A LOT more to do than just lounge around the pool. I assume you know about its artist residencies – two recent ones were Adele & U2 – and if there's one you really want to see, you'll likely either need to plan far ahead or call in a favor with a well-heeled pal who visits Vegas often. (High rollers almost always have casino hosts who act as their personal concierges, but "high roller" is also a relative term there. Still, a casino host at one of the better hotels can at least help arrange for dinner or show reservations, even if they're not comped.
