I got my email today for the free night. The email is titled your reward night has arrived and says "you’ve met the renweal requirement with your Hilton Honors American Express Ascend Card. You can now start enjoying your one weekend night reward at one of our 5,000+ hotels around the world…where will you go?" Yes they spelled renewal wrong lol. It has a code for the free night certificate and a number to call to make the reservation. It says it is good until April 9 2019, one year from today. Oddly I do not think my annual fee posts until April 20, it definitely has not posted yet nor is it pending.