A budget option, since they don't have a hostel in Jinan, is the Home Inn, a chain with locations throughout China. When I stayed it cost $180 rmb a night and required a 300 rmb deposit. The staff was put off when I showed up. They don't get many foreigners. But I assured them we could do this and we did. All the staff knew a little English and between everyone behind the desk and myself, we managed.
I got a clean room with free wifi. The only drawback was noisy neighbors.
